Rest and Recovery

Rest and Recovery, how much do you need? It can be difficult to determine. Like other aspects of training, there’s a fine balance. Too much rest and you’ll lack a consistent training stimulus to keep improving, and too little rest you risk over-training, diminished returns on your efforts and a higher chance for injury. Here are a few guidelines I hope you find helpful.
Rest refers to a day off. Recovery refers to an easy day.

New to training or coming back after a lay-off or injury? You should include more rest and recovery than a well-trained athlete as your body is adjusting to the workload. Although everyone is different, I would suggest at least 4 days of running, with 2 Rest Days, and one cross-training day as a starting point.

It’s important to plan Rest Days and place them in your schedule – those can be determined by a general understanding of your need and taking into consideration the current training load. Many conditioned athletes should take at least 1 rest day a week, but others can take them less often. Either way, the point is to have those predetermined and make sure and take them.

Besides planned Rest days, you need to remain open to taking more if needed. If you’re feeling flat, run-down or unwell, a rest day or extra recovery day is in order.

Remember that consistency is King so on the side of avoiding taking too many rest days, try to get at least 3-4 days of training in a row before taking a day off. If you take more than 1 rest day in a week, spread them out.

A recovery day or a rest day is an absolute must after a very high effort workout or a very heavy training day where you have more volume than normal. Do not string two highly intense running days together. Remember cross-training can be used on a recovery day as well.
And above all else, listen to your body!