How important are rest days for marathoners?

Question

Ok, So ive been running alot lately, typically 10+ a day with some intervals thrown within for speed. Looking to compete with the half-marathon. I look forward to going for my runs, but after 5-6 tough runs, I typically force myself to rest for a day. I could still run and I wouldnt hurt, but I think the recovery time for my muscles to rebuild once and a while is more valuable than another run on that particular day since your muscle rebuild and arm themselves, without haveing to break down again from another run. So in consequence I should be stronger and have more fuel in my tank when my next runs come. Is this true, or should I just run everyday if i can, without working in a rest day for improvement, cause right now I think a rest day is more helpful than another run since you need to fully recover. What do you think? thanks

just wondering if rest days can be more benficial than runs, no problems. kinda wanna know the science of the muscle breakdown behind it.

Answer 1

With the schedule you've described, your 1 day off is more important than any one day of running. There is no type of run that you could do on the 7th day that will improve you any great deal. You can however, get injured or plateau and not improve without the rest. Bill Bowerman felt that the key to improvement was intelligent training summed up as "run, rest, recover". Noel Carroll said that "There is a time to train and a time to rest. The true test of a runner is to get them both right."
Physiologically, every time you run, you breakdown muscle. Without rest and time to repair, your body will not heal and get stronger. Aerobically, you are OK. Mentally, you also can use the day off to keep your motivation and workouts fresh.

Answer 2

The rest days are depends on what type of training you are doing. If you do Endurance training right now, I will recommend to rest a day, if you are in the middle of training ( specific ) you don't have to, because you have to keep the muscles up to it, instead of taking a rest, run for 45 minutes, low to mid speed, really light, and then stretch really good. This is supposed to be just like a rest day and even better because by doing that your muscles are gonna recover a lot and avoid injuries too. when it gets 3 weeks before the race start taking a day off. And you might wanna take a day off before your race day. I know a lot of good runners do that, and they run half marathons in 1H03. IT works great, that day off will make you angry for running, so you do great performance on the race day.
In Science, you don't want your heart to beat over 160 times per minute every single day. So keep your days like this, one day over 160 and the next day around 120. And the rest day can be less than 120, and if you can do it in 110 is even great, it really works great like this.

Answer 3

Are you from Kenya? have you ever been triumphing 10k's and a million/2 marathons optimum up on your first attempt at 26.2? Are you waiting for a podium end, the two regularly occurring or on your age team? Carbo loading is a variety of issues which could make the version between 4th and third place, yet isn't great for the common mid-p.c.. runner. the important element is to basically remember to do no longer pass into the race a million/2 starved or bloated. The nighttime till now, consume a snug meal, preferrably severe in complicated carbs. do no longer consume something new, or worse, consume at a sparkling eating place. Digestive surprises on race morning are a bad element. exceptionally, confirm you pass in completely hydrated. you will desire to be working on your hydration for a pair of days till now. Tapering is backing off on your education volume so which you're sparkling and in a position to rock on the special occasion. Rule of thumb is which you get the earnings of right this moment's work out 2 weeks from right this moment, so any complicated classes you do interior 2 weeks won't manage to help your overall performance, and would injury. At that factor, your important purpose in education classes is to maintain your self assurance up and 'experience rapid'. many times, runners do their greatest mileage week and longest run 3 weeks out. in the journey that your vast week is 60miles with a 20 mile long-term, the subsequent week you would be able to diminish back off to 40 with a 13-15 mile long-term, then 30, with a 10 mile long-term. interior race week, i do no longer pass any further than 6-7 miles according to day, with no longer something at all the day till now. 2 days till now, i might swim 5000 meters just to take the sting off so i don't get too twitchy.

Answer 4

You should have lighter days regularly. Do not do 10+ every day but don't throw in days where you do absolutely nothing either.
Try doing your regular routine for three days and every fourth day you can do, only 2 miles?.. or somethig very light like that.

Answer 5

Is what you're doing now working alright for you??? Is there some problem you haven't disclosed??? If you're training for a half, you should have enough savvy to realize a day of rest is as good as a day of training. And you should know that most runners break down when overworked. 'nuff said