Help from experienced runners please

Do what your body tells you. Start running on your "off" days, and if it's too much, your body (or mind) will tell you so.

That said, I do advise taking at least one day a week off. And I also advise not increasing your mileage by more than about 10-20% at at time. (i.e. if you currently run 3.1 miles, you can increase your next run up to 3.5 or so, but don't jump from 3.1 to 6)

How fit were you before the C25K, are you a newbie runner? I'd suggest not running, give your muscles a chance to re-coup and try cross training (elliptical, bicycle, swimming)... something other than the pounding of running.

Congrats on running that 5k! I run 5-6 days per week myself , sometimes my body feels like it and other times it doesnt. Funny thing with runnning for me, some days I feel like I can run forever, some days a mile is a real struggle, like savcal said though, see how your body reacts. I used to hate to run, but now I feel guilty if I dont, just go with how ya feel and see what happens!

If you feel like you can do more, than by all means, do it. There's no rule against it, but just make sure that you don't go too hard, and you still get rest days. When I was training for my half, I took anywhere from 2-3 rest days a week, because your body really needs the time to repair, especially when adding mileage.

Just listen to your body. That's really the biggest key.

Congrats on your 5k. I've run 3 half marathon's in the past year and was also a Couch to 5k grad when I started. You need off days to allow your body to recover from the stress of running... in our training program we take off days on Sunday's (the day after our long run) and again on Fridays (the day before our long run). The rest of the week we run...reserving Saturday's for long run days. The program that I train under tells us to listen to our bodies and if you absoutely have the urge to run on your off days, then do cross training instead.

Ok, so I am currently in week 6 of the C25K program. I just ran my first 5K yesterday.

The program wants you to run 3 times a week. I find myself really wanting to run on my off days.

Should I? Or should I take it slow like the program recommends?

My girlfriend is in the same situation. The C25k is "so slow" and she wants to run more.

My question to her: "What's your rush?"

I'm not being facetious.

There are reasons to disregard a training plan. I did. I started running in June and did a half-marathon on August 21. I knew that my training plan was "aggressive" and I'm training for a marathon in December. That's aggressive, too.

And I'm paying for it.

I listened to my body (former athlete) and took five days off after the half. I ice my knees (I'm old) and I stretch. And I still got injured (IT band).

The idea of "listen to your body" is fine - in theory. But some folks have no idea what to listen for. And some injuries, IT band and chondromalacia among them, happen slowly and can be a crippling injury when you first learn about them.

As a "returning runner", I would recommend that, unless you have a time deadline, take it easy. Follow the plan and it will get you where you want to go. You might get impatient but you'll be healthy when you get there.


In the mean time, cross train. Go for hikes, hit the elliptical, swim, or whatever but the cost of being injured (time away from work to go to physio, pain meds, etc., etc) is much, much higher than following the training plan and staying healthy.

Listen to your body. Training programs are simply guidelines, not gospel. They don't know if you are feeling great or terrible.

That said, newer runners have to be very careful of overuse injuries. Also, you might consider running 4 day per week, but running longer on the days you do run.