Rest days?

[Ellesbelles5943]

Question! I’m on week three now, my first week I was needing rest days. However, some days I feel like I don’t need that rest day and want to get up and go so I do! Did you guys listen to your body and do what felt right or have strict rest days? Still doing 3 runs a week but sometimes I do one after the other. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

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.

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.

Enjoy your journey.

[Hidden]

The first 6 months to even a year your body does need the rest days. You can do another sport like cycling, walking or something on the rest days, something that doesn't use the same muscles in the same way are running does. But it is important NOT to run on those rest days. I know how you feel, I would love to run every day myself. But if you do that, you will get injuries after a while. Your muscles don't get the time needed to repair themselves and then suddenly you will have an injury preventing you from running for weeks. Rest days are VERY important. As I say, after a rough 6 to 12 months you can try to run every day, but even then it is not recommended.

[Teresafaith Graduate]

I think you'll find people telling you that the rest days are really important and you risk injury if you run every day at the beginning- then you won't be able to run at all so you'll be super frustrated🤬. I have wanted to run on consecutive days but have stopped myself all the way through the plan and am now at 5-6k without injuries. I do resistance band work twice a week on non - run days to improve my strength. Hope this helps.

[Hidden]

Ohhh yikes Ellesbelles5943 rest days are so important especially as a new runner, I ran Mondays and Wednesdays and Fridays throughout C25k, weekends off always!

[Ellesbelles5943]

Thank you everyone! I finished my job working as a HCA in the hospital to start my degree next week, on shift I was walking between 10-12 miles a day, so looking at my miles per week now I’m like arghhh I’m not doing enough 😂 I’ll take your advice and do a different exercise inbetween - maybe work off my Xmas belly 👀 IannodaTruffe Hidden Teresafaith Hidden

[Hidden in reply to Ellesbelles5943]

Well done on heeding all the advice Ellesbelles5943, we're only looking out for your longevity! The impact of running as opposed to walking there's the difference, my Wife walks the same as yourself due to her hospital work, but she's not a runner! There's plenty of rest day stuff to keep you busy, and it'll complement your running massively!

healthunlocked.com/strength...

Take a look at our strength and flex forum it may just be what you need 🙂👍

[Elfe5 Graduate]

“Rest day” can just mean “non impact sport day”. I generally alternate running & cycling & also do Pilates- but have discovered that a true “rest day” is a good idea when I need one! 😄

[Rennur Graduate]

Ideally doing other exercise on the "rest days" is best. But if I do 2 days of non running exercise per week, I think I'm a winner. Don't forget to continue your other hobbies for your own mental wellbeing. I like playing keyboards... badly.

[limu_mu Graduate in reply to Rennur]

That's different! What sports do you do on days off?

[Rennur Graduate in reply to limu_mu]

Just a bit if walking, not enough. I do try to do some NHS exercises for leg strengthening but should do more and do other stuff like core strengthening. I should get my bike out at the weekend before it trusts up. Should should should. Might.