How many days a week do you run? (Read 5563 times)

Two months ago I began taking running seriously. In the beginning I was running three days a week but as I became fitter I moved it up to five days a week, but I've found that my body doesn't appreciate five days a week at all. Without a day off between my runs I have far more frequent "bad" runs, where it's a struggle the whole time. I don't know if it's that I'm not fit enough yet or if I'll always be a runner that needs rest between each run. I have a friend (that just ran her first marathon) that "has" to run every day, she says, or she feels like she's going nuts and her muscles seize up. Any experiences with this? Are some runners destined to run every day and others forced to skip a day in between?

Two months isn't very long. Take it as it comes--a year from now you might be an every day runner.

Been running regularly since 2003 and it i have gradually built it up over time and now run everyday. I probably couldn't have done it in 2003 but feel i'm stronger now and my body can handle it. Majority of my runs are easy base Just listen to your body and act on it if you need to rest, rest.

I've been at this since the spring of 2006 and I always need a rest day between hard days. I'm only just now getting to the point where some of those rest days can actually be a (very) easy day. I'm older, so that is part of it, but not all.

It's common to try to do more and want to do more. As stated above, dont compare yourself to a person that has recently completed running a marathon. In fact, dont compare yourself to anyone but YOU. It takes a long time for the muscles, bones, tendons and heart to adapt to running. Additionally, just as important as running, is your recovery and recovery time. When I first started running, I ran every other day for quite a few months (maybe 6 mo or so). Then I moved up to running Tue, Thurs, Sat and Sunday....4 days per week. After quite a bit of time (more then two months), I added Wed so that I was running T, W, T, S, S.......and after a few years, this is still pretty much where I am. NOW - occassionally if I feel really good or am attempting a higher then normal number of miles, I will run 6 days and rest one...but this an occassional thing because I still enjoy the two days per week of rest and recovery. Increasing your mileage and distance is a gradual growth process and it cant be violated unless you want to get hurt or burned out....so if you need to stick wtit 3 days per week...then do so, and be cautious to add days and miles....and when you add them be careful and listen to your body and take time off if you need it. Additionally, it would be helpful if you would publish your running logs so we can see your progress....

I would be careful to link the swelling of the knee too closely to 5 days a week vs. 4 days. I find that what injures me is intensity, not volume, and that I have much fewer aches and pains running 6 or 7 days a week than I do at 2 or 3 or 4 or 5... If you are a beginning runner, I'd encourage you to get out the door and walk for the time that you run on your other days. Overuse injuries are caused by two factors: obviously too much use, but also being too weak for the amount of running that you are doing. The solution--if you're looking to increase your mileage over the long haul--is to gain strength by running easy or walking--not necessarily to take more days off.

I would be careful to link the swelling of the knee too closely to 5 days a week vs. 4 days. I find that what injures me is intensity, not volume, and that I have much fewer aches and pains running 6 or 7 days a week than I do at 2 or 3 or 4 or 5... If you are a beginning runner, I'd encourage you to get out the door and walk for the time that you run on your other days. Overuse injuries are caused by two factors: obviously too much use, but also being too weak for the amount of running that you are doing. The solution--if you're looking to increase your mileage over the long haul--is to gain strength by running easy or walking--not necessarily to take more days off.

I'm not a begining runner. I've been running regularly for 10 years, for about 20 miles weeks for the first 7, and about 30 miles a week for the past 3. Everytime i start running 3 days in a row, the knee flares up. This first happened in summer 2000, and has happened about every 2 years since ... I cross train hard on the bike and elliptical at least 2 days a week. and lift weights 3 days most week. (I'm less regular about loggin the cross training, though all my runs are logged) I'm not exactly inactive, just have trouble increasing my running mileage. The working theory now is that it's an ITB band issue, even though I have no pain, just swelling (though when it swells enough, that hurts). We'll see if the intensive PT pays off, as I'd like to try for a BQ this spring, and I think increased mileage will be the key.

I'm running 4 or 5 days a week now. I tried 6 for a little while, but my body didn't like that. I would like to try 6 again in a few months. It's taken me two years, but I'm finally starting to feel a little stronger. Yesterday I ran 7 miles and it seemed easy! That was two days after a 10-mile run, too.