3 runs a week and rest days....

[MissyMoff]

Does everyone just do 3 runs in a week (as the programme suggests)? This means that at some point you get 2 concurrent rest days? Or do you all do run, rest, run rest, which technically means that you do 4 runs a week? I don't like it when I get 2 rest days together. I am always keen to get back out there and sometimes find it so much harder after 2 days off rather than just the 1?

[Lilrhib Graduate]

A rest day on the program is just a non-running day. I do other activities like play hockey, walk or go to a fitness class. I allow myself a Friday night off because I’m usually with the colleagues in the pub until late - drinking water or diet soft drinks!

[MissyMoff in reply to Lilrhib]

Thank you. Yes, I do other things on my rest days, but do you have 2 days off from running at some point in a 7 day period?

[Lilrhib Graduate in reply to MissyMoff]

Yep! But those 2 days are my hockey night and fitness class. I’m practicing patience in not rushing through the program, it means I’m super keen to start the next week then.

[Cornet-Carolyn Graduate]

I stuck to 3 a week following the programme as I fit my runs around other things.

Now I've graduated since November I plan when I run at weekends either park run on Saturday or longer run Sunday.

I sometimes have 3 rest days in a week too 😉

[Fifitrixiebell Graduate]

Since I started I have done run, rest, run, rest etc. So run every second day. Have not had two rest days together.

[JoP61 Graduate]

I've been running on Sunday (my favourite day), Tuesday and Friday, which works well for me. I've been starting each week of the programme on a Friday (W5R1 this morning! yay!), so having 2 days rest before seems to set me up well for the new challenge (so far, anyway).

Good luck with the running!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JoP61]

Just like me My favourite run day is Sunday too

[JoP61 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I love the fact that it's more peaceful - I run in a relatively urban environment. I go out early and pretend that the place is all mine!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JoP61]

Beautiful... I head out across my beloved fields and tracks... perfect Aren't we lucky

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You do exactly what is right for you and your lifestyle.... but, the rule is, at least one rest day before runs.. always

I run Sunday, Tuesday and Friday... because it suits me and my commitments... Some folk run Monday, Wednesday and Friday and have the weekend off, with family commitments etc..

But.. the rest day is not for doing nothing... walking, swimming, cycling, climbing, yoga, Pilates.. any non impact exercise is so important... stamina and strength exercises too become increasingly important also as the runs are getting longer.

The only time I took real rest days...just resting... was as part of 10K revisited plan... and I found it quite hard to do

So.... if you have to take a two day rest period...do not worry, there is always something to keep you in the mood:).

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The rest day might be for doing nothing - depends who you are!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Indeed... I did appreciate them for doing exactly that, as I got further on in the 10K programme...

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

I find something else tends to get in the way during the week keeping it to 3 but if everything fell to plan I'd do every other day.

I don't think it matters too much provided you're feeling rested going into the next run 👍😊

[Siadwell]

I do Tues, Thurs after work leaving the weekend one flexible and in daylight

[AnnieW55]

You have some great answers above. Not being negative but if you are new to running you also have to factor in the "new addiction" phase. I think many of us are amazed at how we take to this programme that we just want to go on and on. That can last (5 years+ on) I'm still working out new runs in my head all the time and running 3 days a week but at the beginning it can seem to take over 😀.

The other thing is that if you get used to 2 days off in a row when life/illness/etc get in the way, it won't phase you to have missed a day or two (hope you never have to find out though) and you just run as and when.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I take, and have always taken, the 'every other day' approach, so yes, on the programme some weeks would be four days, others three. Essentially my approach now is if you ran yesterday, you don't run today but otherwise it's there for you (in practice I rarely do 4 or even 3 runs in a week now for reasons which won't apply to you, but on the programme I did, certainly once I'd cracked the beast that is Week 1)

Others have made the very valid point about the value of rounding out your fitness programme. Once you do that, you may feel you have enough on your plate (especially if you factor in the need for non-physical aspects of fitness like social contacts and being able to be still)

Essentially it is a bit about knowing yourself and your life (as it needs to be rather than just as it is now, obviously there are changes when you take up running) Fixed days really suit a lot of people, but there are plenty of more random folk.

[MickGJ Graduate]

Initially I tried to keep to a Mon/Weds/Fri schedule and keep the weekends free.

I didn't always work out like that and later in the programme I occasionally had four or five days between runs. I actually found the next run a lot easier after the extra recovery time.

Early on I think it's important to keep up the momentum if you can but M/W/F is fine for that. I found it very motivating to be starting a new "week" on Monday mornings.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

If you read the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... it tells you that C25k weeks do not have to coincide with calendar weeks and as long as you have at least one rest day between runs then you can programme runs as you wish.

I ran C25k on alternate days.

I am not a set day runner, preferring flexibility and now aim at three runs per calendar week.

[RainbowC Graduate]

I have set days to run - I need to have a deliberate plan otherwise I all too easily put it off until ‘tomorrow...’. My days are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday - but wednesdays sometimes get taken up with other things. So this structure works well for me as I then have the option of running on Thursday. Fundamentally you have to do what works for you and your lifestyle/diary commitments.

Happy running!