Hi there! I've just joined and done w1r1 yesterday. Feeling fine today and quite keen to do r2.. is it vital to skip a day between runs?
I am not a runner (yet) but fairly active as I'm used to walking daily...
Does anyone here enjoy running daily or avoid skipping days sometimes?
Thanks for any advice!
We'll done for completing w1r1! That's amazing! 
You should definitely have rest days between runs to allow your body to rest and help prevent injury. I generally run Monday, Wednesday and Friday but you can have more days in between if needed.
Have a look at the pinned posts as there's a really good post written which I read before starting! Lots of helpful tips
I too was keen to run on the next day. Shows you’re doing it right. Well done. However, I decided to stick to this program rigidly. But I’ve also loaded the Nike Running app. I’ll start that after C25K is done. Nike has daily runs including routes and trainers as in here. I’ve done it this way because I’d already completed weeks one and two in C25K. Just completed W3R1. Easy enough.
So you choose but check out niko niko pace set by Japanese Professor Hiroaki Tanaka.
Take care and stay safe and well.
Welcome on board and congratulations for starting C25K! 😊 You’ll find the support and advice on here invaluable, so post often. 👍 I agree with Weff. As rookie runners we’re really keen but also really susceptible to injury, so it’s vital you take the recovery “rest” days in between runs. You can still do other low impact stuff on these days though. A lot of people follow the Strength and Flex programme with Laura from the NHS, or do cycling, walking, core work, yoga, Pilates, you get the picture! Well done on run 1! 😊 You’re off the couch and on your way! 👍🏃♀️🐢
Welcome and great job getting started. The above linked guide to the plan will make this easier.
We get this question a lot from avid walkers, cyclists and gym goers. Yes, you’re bringing a lot more base fitness to this than many of us, which is only going to help... but what this plan is doing isn’t only a fitness change, it’s also conditioning the muscles to running, which takes many months. During this phase rest days are important... once it’s fully completed (in a year or two) then rest days aren’t needed, but recovery remains important. I’ve been running again for two years, I don’t have many rest days, but I still need the odd one here and there (usually once a week). Without rest days the best outcome is that development is hindered... the worst is that you become injured and that can mean months of no running, and uncomfortable walking.
That all said, consider “rest” days “non-running” days instead. Walking, cycling, swimming, strength training, yoga, and anything else that isn’t high impact is great cross training, will improve your running and make you less likely to pick up an injury, so there’s plenty you can be doing every day.
Hope this helps. You can do this... enjoy your journey, but don’t rush it.
Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.
This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.
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.
If you want to be the best runner that you can be, then do non impact cross training on your rest days, which will be far more beneficial than running every day. It is not recommended for new runners to run on consecutive days until they have a minimum of six months regular running on their legs.
Enjoy your journey.
Thank you to everyone, I'm overwhelmed by the number of responses and support, thank you! Glad i did decide to take it easy today before looking here, and now will definitely read the Health Unlocked article...
Really appreciate all your advice 😊 thank you!
I’m starting running again and in my first week of c25k too. Over my previous years of running I took all the advice I could get from anywhere I could get it. All the previous replies to your question are spot on. Keep learning all the time. I boiled most of the advice regarding your question down to this when I was running before - Most injuries are caused by one or more of the following: too much, too far, too fast, too soon. Rest days are AS important if not MORE important than run days because that’s when your body is repairing and building into a ‘running body’. And pain is NOT gain, it means you’re doing damage to your body. Most of all, enjoy every day of it and every mile. Good luck! 🏃🏻🏃🏻👍
Thank you Philipides 😊 Today was my w1r2 and i took it really easy, enjoyed it more than yesterday and can't wait for run3. Not sure how long this will last, and when my self-sabotaging voice will kick in, but so far so good 😁
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