Advice on a recovery week

[GaryB1966]

Okay so I like the idea of this recovery week… All I need now is for somebody to tell me what I should or indeed should not be doing during such a week. Is it all just short runs or is there something else? All advice gratefully received…

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10]

Someone much more versed and experienced in this will hopefully respond. However, I've been doing a bit of research into further training plans and what I have come across is that even with slow easy progressions, there comes a limit in training whereby you will hit a wall and no longer see improvements. To minimize this, it is important to factor in easier weeks every few weeks whereby the mileage (and I'm assuming intensity) is reduced. This gives your body a chance to recover better allowing further gains to be made in subsequent weeks. I don't recall reading an exact percentage, maybe someone will have it at their finger tips. For myself, I will plan to continue with my 2 shorter runs (4-5 k each; and not do hills or intervals) and drop my long run back by a few km for that week. So I have just got 10k under my belt, I will likely do one more next week and then the following week when I have a busy work schedule, I'll probably drop my longer run to 6-8k. The following week, if I'm abiding by the 10% rule, my long run will be back around that 11.5k mark (and still doing 2 shorter 4 - 5 k runs). The next week I'll increase my long run by 2 more km, and again the next week but will drop my long run down again on the 4th week to maybe 8 or 10k? It's a work in progress and the beauty about not following a set schedule for myself right now is I can adjust it as needed. If I find I'm struggling with figuring out or sticking to my own plan, many are using MyAsics which has custom free plans (but choose "easy") for the first one by the sounds of others experiences. Hopefully I didn't muddy the waters further for you 😧

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

For me- my recharge week is about doing less mileage, mentally getting refocused and a rest from the focus of training. I don't know what your normal routine is to suggest what you should do?

[GaryB1966 Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

Hi

My usual routine is three runs, two of between 7-8k and the last a longer run anywhere between 10-14k so far.. If that helps

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10]

For me, my recovery week is I take the intensity and distance down on my running but still swim and walk. Occasionally I try and match it up when I go and see my Dad for a week. I take the focus of training completely and do stuff with him, I don’t even take my trainers. For me that is a bit too much but my Dad enjoys it.

[Millsie-J]

I like to build in a five day run-break every fifth or sixth week. I generally link it to whatever else is happening and fit it in to suit. I continue walking, yoga and Pilates though if I can.

Its your plan, do what suits.

[Tomas Graduate10]

I tend to make every third week a recovery week. In the recovery week I will reduce my mileage by about 30% compared to a normal week - partly by reducing the length of the runs, and sometimes also by cutting an entire run out (e..g. reducing from normally 4 runs per week to 3).

Do keep the intensity the same as normal though. So if you have a normal speed session, don't turn that into a gentle jog.