Should I be doing this?

[Ada72]

I missed quite a few days of training and I'd been accidentally picking the wrong runs, thus skipping some and, being as I need to get out everyday for some exercise in the current crisis, I went back from week 4 to week 2 and I'm training every day. Is that OK? Also, I'm signed up to Shelter Home Run and have committed myself to run 50 miles in April.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

NO, it is not OK!!!

When you run, the impact creates microtears in your muscles, which repair and strengthen on your rest days, not while running. Without rest, repair and strengthening are compromised and injury risk increased.

It is not recommended for new runners to run on consecutive days for at least six months.

PLEASE TAKE YOUR REST DAYS or you may not be running at all for days, weeks or months.

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Personal experience leads me to support every word that Ian has written here. It was such a simple injury collected doing a "30 day challenge" thing and yet it put me out of the game for six months. Please DO have rest days.

[Hidden]

You need to have days off to let your body recover from the exercise, this is what makes your muscles etc stronger, it's not actually the running that does it..

So, you must take days off, they are essential.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Exactly as above... with the focus of the NHS and other medically trained people elsewhere right now, I don’t think it’s a great time to turn up in front of them with a self inflicted injury.

Ok... so you’re going to do 50 miles in April for a really great cause... I bet nobody will give a damn if you walked all of them. So, why not follow the plan, do the plans runs every other day, and go for a brisk walk on the rest days? If I were one of your sponsors I’d be happy to still put the money in the pot. If that’s not enough challenge, up the milage target to compensate for the fact you’re not running it all. Shelter are a wonderful and deserving charity... and as such I know for a fact that they don’t want people hurting themselves to raise money for them... they want their heroes able to cross that finish line running, pumped and ready to go again. They don’t want them hurt, hating running and being out for months.

I’d change the goal, hit it, and set a new achievable one to do over the summer, then everyone wins. You get to beat this plan safely, raise money for your cause, and then go again in May, June and July... a muscle tear would stop all of that.

Stay safe, run smart, raise a fortune safely over many years.

Happy running.

[Fors Graduate]

Do follow the plan so you don't injure yourself. At the end of the plan you will be able to run for 30 mins which is a great achievement! However in terms of miles run 30 minutes will give you around 3 miles covered! Unless you regularly walk long distances I think 50 miles is a very unrealistic plan.

[Snodrop Graduate]

Hi ada, I see what the experts are saying, I overstretched myself on a park run and have not run for two weeks, with painful calf muscles. I will never do that again. we need you fit and healthy on the forum!

Stay slow steady and to the plan,,,

[Ada72]

Thank you everybody for your wise words. I will head your advice.

[Ada72]

... and now I'm stopping because I'm over 70 and really shouldn't be out there. The government has failed to give us consistent advice so I STRONGLY recommend you watch this: twitter.com/protectheflames...