Fast weeks?

[neptune]

So I am about to do W4 R3 tomorrow am and I wondered.. do people sometimes do runs on consecutive days? Or do they really stick to 3 runs per week? Even if you have a day rest between runs you can end up doing 4 runs in a week. Is that bad? Is there a good exercise to do on rest days?

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

You should have a rest day between running so your muscles get a chance to recover and build. You could end up doing 7 runs in 2 weeks if you literally run every other day, but to be honest I find it easiest to always run on the same days each week.

Walking, swimming, cycling, core exercises are all fine for the "rest" days.

Running on consecutive days is a bad idea until you are an established runner - I ended up injured when I started running 4 times a week (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat) about a year after I started running. Some people manage without getting injured, but at this stage it's definitely not worth the risk.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

No consecutive runs.... rest days are essential... I run Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday.

On rest days.. anything you fancy...just not running.. strength and flex exercises, walking, swimming , cycling, yoga...so much to choose from

[first_mate Graduate]

I've found 3 a week is plenty, even if I feel like I could go again the next day. For me Monday, Wednesday and Friday suit me best so I get the weekend off so to speak.

Before I graduated I didn't do anything else on the rest days, aside from the normal walk with the dogs. However since I finished C25K in March I've started the NHS podcast for Strength and Flex exercises which you also do on alternate days. You get a different podcast for 5 weeks. So far so good, I can definitely notice a difference in my stamina already.

[Irish-John Graduate]

If there is ONE single thing the 'Old Hands' all agree on it's Respect the Rest Days.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

You can do what you like. But if you are doing the programme, do the programme. And that involves not running on consecutive days (it doesn't matter whether that means you run 3 days a week or every other day which as you say, will mean that some calendar weeks you are running 4 times (I did the latter). It's good for your body and it is even better discipline for the mind. The object of the programme is to get you running continuously for 30 minutes on a regular basis - so that means safely, and it means acquiring the habit.

Going at fitness like a bull at a gate tends to mean that it is a temporary fad. The itchiness to be doing something on a non-running day is a lovely positive sign and may prompt you to do something which will round out your overall programme and support the running that way, but don't be deceived that it means you should run.

[neptune Graduate]

Okay okay i get the message. Don't get me wrong, I love the rest days.. too many rest days is what got me here in the first place.. 😀