Longer Rest Days - Does it do any harm?

[OldManRunning]

I started C25k on 2/8/22 having not run for about 35 years. Apart from a pretty torid 1st run, thanks to a glitch in the app(I ended up running about twice as long), it went pretty well up to week 3 when I started getting achilles tendon problems then after finishing had a few severe twinges in my hamstrings. I nursed them and had a massage from a sports therapists and although they never went away completely I would have longer rest days and then pick up at the next run when things had calmed down again. I've completed all runs up to 6/2. I'm due to run 6/3 on Sunday if this cold goes away. My question is, is it okay to have these longer rest breaks and just pick it up again?

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

It sounds like what you’re doing with your rest days is working for you if you’ve got up to week 6 run 3. It’s absolutely fine to follow the pattern that suits your body best, as long as that’s taking more rest time and not less. I’ve had breaks of two weeks and been surprised how good I’ve felt on picking it up. It’s actually stated in the programme guide link here that you won’t lose fitness over a couple of weeks, and then only slowly, but I didn’t believe it until I tried it myself.

Just take each run steadily and listen to what your body is telling you. If you think it’s too much and you need to stop and walk, treat it like a practice. That’s still good running experience. Really good luck to you for your next run. Wait until you’re fully recovered before giving it a go!

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

It’s definitely ok to have a few more rest days especially as we get older

[OldManRunning Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

I think I qualfy as older 😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to OldManRunning]

Me too

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

We would recommend sticking to the duration of the workouts as laid out in the plan and also to having at least one rest day from impact exercises between sessions. Some will be fine with one rest day, while others will benefit hugely from having longer breaks. Listen to your body, but remember, 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.

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.

[Comte Graduate]

Yes it is perfectly OK, even essential sometimes, to have longer rest days. You should "listen" to your body and if there are aches and pains then rest is obligatory so that the body can itself repair the damage.

Running can cause micro-tears in the leg muscles which show themselves after the running has finished by aches and pains in the muscles. These appear especially if one has increased the effort in running, for example by running for a longer time. The body repairs these itself but it takes time, maybe a day maybe several days. As a result the muscles become stronger and more able to withstand the effort.

Good luck with the rest of the programme.😀😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Your runs, your way, running safely, and for pure enjoyment

We listen to our body and we take notice and do exactly what feels right for us... as we get older our running does change... I have not run since Sunday... life and some restless night's sleep... I know when I get out today, I will feel stronger and the run will be sweeter.

I do, though ( I am 72), still maintain my routine of strength and stamina work. We need the core strength and stamina work at all ages and levels of running, but maybe as we season? It becomes a tad more important?

Loads of links on the S and F forum!

Keep it slow and steady and well done you!

[OldManRunning Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you. The S and F forum? Does it have a longer name please or do you have a link. 😁😁

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

healthunlocked.com/strength...

Try having a look around and maybe try some of the links on this original post that I put up a while ago when I was working on S and F a tad more!

healthunlocked.com/strength...

There are a lot of links to exercise too, on YouTube, which I use regularly which are more user-friendly to the older runner, which I could share with you if you wished

[OldManRunning Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Yes please Oldfloss. Thank you 😁

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to OldManRunning]

Will do...

[nowster Graduate]

On your "rest days" find something different to do to keep active, something which doesn't affect your hamstrings.

If the problem persists long term, maybe get a consultation with a physio to see if you're doing something wrong (eg. compensating for something else) or they can suggest something extra you can do to help build things to support the hamstring area.

I had tight hamstrings and glutes from decades of desk work. A visit to the physio taught me a lot about working them properly.

[OldManRunning Graduate]

Thank you all for your replies, help and support. Onwards and upwards 😁

[OrangeDrizzle]

I took extra rests in the middle of Cto5k just like you. And stretched it even more by running some weeks 4 times.

I'm in my 40s and hadnt deliberately exercised since school except short gentle cycling for transport.

I had some twinges of an old knee problem and was very anxious that a flair-up would crush my new enthusiasm before I got going.

Even since completing Cto5k I've still been v cautious. I do Jeffing more often than not (deliberately timed run-walking, a lot like Cto5k, look it up here) and I dial it down if small running aches hang around. But I'm still running 18 months later, my knees seem stronger than ever (shins not so much) and I'm steadily progressing, running 3 or 4 times a week (mostly). I nerdily enjoy keeping my records which keeps me from either pushing or sliding back too much. I look forward to updating my loosey goosey 'training plan' and to planning new long running routes. I'm even getting faster although that's a side effect not an ambition.

The hyper cautious approach has worked brilliantly for me despite feeling wimpy sometimes. I wish your hamstrings all the best and hope you can keep enjoying your running like me.