I feel AWFUL after a rest day and don't take them anymore, thoughts please

There is no reason to need a day completely off every week. One or two a month might do you good though, just to give your body a break.

I am now taking TWO days off every week and feel fantastic. All the aches and pains in my legs have gone away because of the extra recovery. I run hard enough the other days that I definitely need the rest days. I had been running 60-65 miles a week and now running 40-45.

I don't know how old the OP is but it takes me at least 4-5 miles just to get rolling. If you are only running 3 or 4 miles, you probably aren't even warmed up yet.

I always feel stiff after a day off, and sometimes my calves kind of lock up. I just feel like crap in general. I don't take days off any more unless I'm injured. My recovery day is 3-5 miles now at an easy pace, or at least it is when I'm running (bullshit is keeping me sidelined right now).

Do what works best for you.

He is giving his body a break, he is only running 3 or 4 miles on his off day. There is no reason to go lower. His fellow runners that said otherwise were crazy. Would they recommend going on bed rest one day a week as even better? This is not to say there is anything wrong with taking a day or even two off a week.

Having said that, I think the OP should look into the idea that his complete misery returning to running after one day off is trying to tell him something. Without knowing anything about him, I don't know what. But if I had to guess, I would guess he is not modulating his training correctly for his particular physiology.

I don't know enough to give suggestions other than to suggest reading the Cabral and Hadd thread.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2375989

Some people take a day off. Some don't.

People have been very successful with either approach.

I like a day off each week but used to only take a day off once every couple months.

Sounds like you are better off running every day.

I don't take days off and run 60 miles on singles. I do my 2 recovery days very slow. One recovery day is after my long run and one after my one hard day. The other days are easy days. Everyone is different. If your body responds well to running every day then do so.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to do what works best for me and that is just doing what worked before - 3 or 4 miles on the rest day. I felt great and rested training like that.

Running is like being a drunk. When you wake up with a bad hangover you start drinking again or you feel like crap. Run is similar for me, and the OP, if you take a day off it's like dealing with a "hangover" instead of drinking through it. For both, not sure of the long terms affects....

I run anywhere from 40 to 65 miles a week - all in singles. I too have the same general experience. Maybe not as severe. I just don't feel good after taking a day off. But I need them every once in a while. BTW the most days I have ever run in a row is 34.

Differentia Sufferer wrote:

It's gotten to point where I cant handle the pain anymore because it feels like I'm coming back from injury everything is so out of whack.

Yeah I like to "spread the pain" out over the next two days. But seriously you might be training too hard. I'm quite happy making sure I can train every day and doing workouts when I can so the two days after those workouts I get decrease in performance versus effort but not pain and I'm back on the up and up third day and after.

Well unfortunately I experience pain, muscle cramps, burning, and I feel like my lung are going to explode. For me, taking two days off consecutively is not worth the pain and the three days you say it takes to start feeling good again.

Ask me, I've tried it. And it's been months and I'm letting it go. Everyone is different I guess. And I guess I do better on 30 min recovery runs. Also I dont know if I am training too hard because my bread and butter are steady training runs. I can't say I do track work or tempo runs. So seriously I don't know what this is about but 48 hours of doing nothing sets me so out of whack it's not worth it. And what's better is that it looks like I'm not the only one who feels like crap after their day off or just doesn't bother taking them so often. Word.

I am in the camp of taking rest days when you need them. 3-4 miles even easy is not "rest" to me.

When I was running more, I often felt sluggish the day after a rest day so that became an easy day. Everyone has to find the right mix/balance. If it is working for you, then do what works for you.

It is good to give something different a try otherwise you will never know what works better/best.

When you are 41 you will LOVE having your day off from running!

www.666energy.com wrote:

When you are 41 you will LOVE having your day off from running!

I'm 51 and LOVE running every day. Again whatever works for each individual.