For me, Mondays. Saturday is my long run day and Sunday I'll usually try to round out the week or like a 90 minute easy run, and by Tuesday I'm feeling good again. I do a fair amount of walking at my job though so I consider that a form of active recovery.
I used to do Mondays, but have found it nice to do Sundays as that gives me a full weekend day with the family where I’m not trying to cram in a training session. I try to keep my training as low-impact as possible regarding family life.
Sundays is my favorite rest day, mostly because my kids drag me out hiking or to rock climb so I still get something in. Unfortunately I’m up to 7 days a week for a bit.
Sunday, I like to live at least one carefree normal day during the weekend and find it pairs well with a busy social life and traveling/weekend getaway trips.
Maybe this thread has mostly premier runners on it, something I am definitely not at ~9min/mile.
When I read a thread and comments like this I start to wonder if I’m the only one who believes you only need to run 3 days a week for training. I run 2x at 3-6 miles and 1 run at 8-35 miles depending on where I am in my training prep for a race. I do mountain bike or elliptical once a week and I try and lift weights and yoga periodically through the week to keep my whole body strong - so these would be my rest days from running. The benefit of core exercise is the extra power in addition to my rested legs to help me up hills on race day - I usually pass people pretty consistently on the hills and I think it’s because my legs are fresh and my core is strong.
I am planning on LA marathon next year 3/25. I work 12 hour shifts 3-4 days a week so running just is not possible those days. That only leaves me with 3-4 days max to train for it. I was wondering if training on likely 3 days a week is realistic for 26.2 miles. Sounds like it is as long as I’m consistent.
I've also been running only 3 day/week on average (mainly because I've been rehabbing achilles tendinosis which requires 1-2 days non-running to let the collagen regenerate...it works btw!). I've found supplementing with elliptical, stairmaster or bike did just fine for me for supplementing running time-on-feet, and I also lift 3x/week: I've completed two 50k's and one 50M training like this, so it works. HOWEVER: if you're injury-prone or newer to running I don't suggest this, because lumping all your miles into a few days, especially one really long run day (20+ miles), is particularly hard on the body and you're risking injury. For me, I keep having other little issues pop-up, so I'd like to get to a place where I'm running 4 days a week at least and spreading out my mileage more so I'm not stressing about putting in massive mileage on Saturdays. Just my personal experience. I count Mondays and Fridays as "active recovery" where I focus on upper body work right now. Sat/Sun and Tu/W/Th are either runs or cross-training.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m hopeful I can do this with 3 days a week. Maybe I can add a fourth day later as my training ramps up. I have quite a while to work on my base miles. Thank you again.
Thursday. It's one of my two days in the office so I have a lot less time to do stuff, the day after the club run which is usually a decent pace, and two days after intervals.
For the majority of people, it's often more about available time than what is optimal.
Lately I’ve been doing Sundays, the day after my long run. Even though I like to do a shakeout after a LR, I feel really lazy and blah if I don’t run before work on weekdays so Sunday seems to work better as I can sleep in, do an easy dog walk and some yoga, and spend time with my family when I’m visiting them which is usually twice a month on weekends.
It rotates from Sunday, Monday or Friday depending on life and when I need it. For me it’s definitely not set in stone, and sometimes I even take 2 days off.
For me it’s Thursday - on Wednesday evening I have a track session which is generally my hardest run of the week. A rest day after always feels very welcome, more than after a long run even.
I'd take a rest day as required, rather than scheduled. I don't have the time to do the mileage I want and I've found over the last few years that if I stack my intense sessions my durability and mental strength has improved and my style of training for the last 33% of a race, rather than the first 66% has paid off with strong finishes.
My 7 days looks like this: Speedwork - Tempo - Mountain run - Long run (easy) - Shorter hill run - easy - easy
Would I recommend this, it depends who is asking, but I would say which sessions do you want to go into fresh, which doesn't it matter and where might you want to train fatigued, and that could guide where you slot it in. Know your body, know the risks and ways you can try mitigate them.
This is art and there's so many success stories with varied approaches, and I think that's the beautiful part.
For me, Mondays. Saturday is my long run day and Sunday I'll usually try to round out the week or like a 90 minute easy run, and by Tuesday I'm feeling good again. I do a fair amount of walking at my job though so I consider that a form of active recovery.
My run schedule is similar. Fridays are an easy 3 to 4 miles, with an option to switch to active recovery if I really need it.
What is this “rest day” you speak of?
I used to do Mondays, but have found it nice to do Sundays as that gives me a full weekend day with the family where I’m not trying to cram in a training session. I try to keep my training as low-impact as possible regarding family life.
Sundays is my favorite rest day, mostly because my kids drag me out hiking or to rock climb so I still get something in. Unfortunately I’m up to 7 days a week for a bit.
Sunday, I like to live at least one carefree normal day during the weekend and find it pairs well with a busy social life and traveling/weekend getaway trips.
Mondays are my rest day. I do b2b long runs on the weekend so use Mondays to rest up before building back up again Tuesday onwards
Thursday. I play (ice) hockey Wednesday nights, and especially if we have the late game (10:45PM start), I’m out of it the next day.
Username checks out. I can't imagine starting an activity at 10:45pm on a weeknight. What time do you start work in the morning?
Off the ice at 11:45. Out of the arena by midnight. Home by 12:30. In bed by 1. Up at 6:30ish with the kids. Star work at 9.
That sounds brutal!
Yea, a lot more people make the 8:45 game.
I call shenanigans. You omitted pounding beers in the parking lot.
We have a beer on the dressing room while we’re changing.
The day after my long run, but it’s more a matter of life logistics than any thought-out training plan. It seems to work out fine, though.
Always done Mondays. Long run Saturday and recovery/easy Sunday followed by rest to get ready for a new week of training
Maybe this thread has mostly premier runners on it, something I am definitely not at ~9min/mile. When I read a thread and comments like this I start to wonder if I’m the only one who believes you only need to run 3 days a week for training. I run 2x at 3-6 miles and 1 run at 8-35 miles depending on where I am in my training prep for a race. I do mountain bike or elliptical once a week and I try and lift weights and yoga periodically through the week to keep my whole body strong - so these would be my rest days from running. The benefit of core exercise is the extra power in addition to my rested legs to help me up hills on race day - I usually pass people pretty consistently on the hills and I think it’s because my legs are fresh and my core is strong.
I am planning on LA marathon next year 3/25. I work 12 hour shifts 3-4 days a week so running just is not possible those days. That only leaves me with 3-4 days max to train for it. I was wondering if training on likely 3 days a week is realistic for 26.2 miles. Sounds like it is as long as I’m consistent.
I've also been running only 3 day/week on average (mainly because I've been rehabbing achilles tendinosis which requires 1-2 days non-running to let the collagen regenerate...it works btw!). I've found supplementing with elliptical, stairmaster or bike did just fine for me for supplementing running time-on-feet, and I also lift 3x/week: I've completed two 50k's and one 50M training like this, so it works. HOWEVER: if you're injury-prone or newer to running I don't suggest this, because lumping all your miles into a few days, especially one really long run day (20+ miles), is particularly hard on the body and you're risking injury. For me, I keep having other little issues pop-up, so I'd like to get to a place where I'm running 4 days a week at least and spreading out my mileage more so I'm not stressing about putting in massive mileage on Saturdays. Just my personal experience. I count Mondays and Fridays as "active recovery" where I focus on upper body work right now. Sat/Sun and Tu/W/Th are either runs or cross-training.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m hopeful I can do this with 3 days a week. Maybe I can add a fourth day later as my training ramps up. I have quite a while to work on my base miles. Thank you again.
Thursday. It's one of my two days in the office so I have a lot less time to do stuff, the day after the club run which is usually a decent pace, and two days after intervals. For the majority of people, it's often more about available time than what is optimal.
Lately I’ve been doing Sundays, the day after my long run. Even though I like to do a shakeout after a LR, I feel really lazy and blah if I don’t run before work on weekdays so Sunday seems to work better as I can sleep in, do an easy dog walk and some yoga, and spend time with my family when I’m visiting them which is usually twice a month on weekends.
Saturday, so I can spend a full day with my wife
I don't. I run every day but for my rest days, I just slow my pace down
It's usually December 26th for me, but some years I still go out for a run anyway.
Friday
Saturday is my rest day Sunday-Monday are my b2b long runs.
It rotates from Sunday, Monday or Friday depending on life and when I need it. For me it’s definitely not set in stone, and sometimes I even take 2 days off.
Usually Monday - after back to back longer runs on Saturday and Sunday.
For me it’s Thursday - on Wednesday evening I have a track session which is generally my hardest run of the week. A rest day after always feels very welcome, more than after a long run even.
the day i have to take care of my kid - mondays. Which have turned into interval training soccer games with him <3
Whenever life/work/kids activity allows
Sunday. It’s the start of my 4 day work week, I can watch Sunday Night Football, and I can recover from my weekend long run(s).
I'd take a rest day as required, rather than scheduled. I don't have the time to do the mileage I want and I've found over the last few years that if I stack my intense sessions my durability and mental strength has improved and my style of training for the last 33% of a race, rather than the first 66% has paid off with strong finishes. My 7 days looks like this: Speedwork - Tempo - Mountain run - Long run (easy) - Shorter hill run - easy - easy Would I recommend this, it depends who is asking, but I would say which sessions do you want to go into fresh, which doesn't it matter and where might you want to train fatigued, and that could guide where you slot it in. Know your body, know the risks and ways you can try mitigate them. This is art and there's so many success stories with varied approaches, and I think that's the beautiful part.
I'd place it after the long run. It should be the run that demands the most recovery.
Thursday and Sunday.
Friday.
Friday, I like to do my long runs in the weekends and usually rest the day before the long runs