Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!
Now let's get started by talking about rest days and the importance of taking them... a timely topic inspired by my friend Elisha Stout's post last week which said, "Skipped my 1 hour run this morning to rest instead. We can do that sometimes." Yes we can! But many of us don't for various reasons including the fear of losing gains. And while that’s a very valid reason, science shows that 1-5 days off won't affect a runner's fitness level at all. On the contrary, it might help a person run better when it’s done at the proper time.
That being said, I reached out to Elisha Monday and asked, “What caused you to realize you needed a day off? Did you find it rejuvenated you?” Her response? “I was just feeling sluggish and knew I had a long run scheduled the next day. The extra day of rest allowed me to head into the long run feeling mentally and physically prepared. It definitely made me feel rejuvenated. My word for the year is rest, so I'm trying to be very mindful of what my body needs. I've realized that I sometimes feel better if I trade an easy run day for a rest day. Sometimes, an extra rest day is more for my mental health than physical health.”
Those are definitely words of wisdom from a seasoned runner. I love the message she sent me yesterday morning with another reason many runners are hesitant to take a day off when their body tells them it’s time. “I had another thought on my run this morning,” she wrote. “Like many of the Bass Pro runners, I'm a busy, working mom of 3, and often, these training plans call for 6-7 days of running per week. I have to remind myself that they weren't written specifically for me, and it's OK to modify them so that I can still train, along with the other important things in my life.” As a runner and a running coach, I’d like to stress that again… training plans CAN and SHOULD fit into your life so feel free to change them as you need to. The key to being successful at running over a lifetime is resilience, so adapt and overcome when necessary.
Need a few more reasons to take a rest day when your body says it’s time? Check out these six as listed by Runner’s World:
1. Your muscles can bounce back.
When you run (or do any exercise), you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers, and your body likes those about as much as you like trying to open a sweaty GU packet. So it responds by rebuilding your muscles stronger, in preparation for the next session. The catch: That response only happens with time off. Depending on the length and intensity of your workout, the body needs a minimum of 36 to 48 hours to reboot. Without it, the body has no opportunity to rebuild and strengthen muscles; they just continue to break down. That negates all the hard work you put in.
When you run (or do any exercise), you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers, and your body likes those about as much as you like trying to open a sweaty GU packet. So it responds by rebuilding your muscles stronger, in preparation for the next session. The catch: That response only happens with time off. Depending on the length and intensity of your workout, the body needs a minimum of 36 to 48 hours to reboot. Without it, the body has no opportunity to rebuild and strengthen muscles; they just continue to break down. That negates all the hard work you put in.
2. You avoid stress fractures.
If you’re trying to sidestep an injury (really, who isn’t?), rest is crucial. Running is great for your bones—the impact stresses the bone tissue, and just like a muscle, that increases cell turnover and forces the bone to remodel with stronger structures. But if you run today, tomorrow, and the next day, it never has time to fully repair. Eventually, you could be looking at a stress fracture—and a season on the sidelines. Even if you do give yourself a rest day off from running each week, you should still be conscious of varying your speed and intensity throughout the week. For example, if you do hard track intervals on Monday, you should run at an easy pace on Tuesday. While your bones are still undergoing stress on Tuesday’s run, the impact is much less than the powerful force they absorbed on the track, so repairs can still happen. But the key to a recovery run is to do it at a recovery pace—the more you push the speed, the more shock your bones absorb, and the weaker they’ll be when you try to go fast again.
If you’re trying to sidestep an injury (really, who isn’t?), rest is crucial. Running is great for your bones—the impact stresses the bone tissue, and just like a muscle, that increases cell turnover and forces the bone to remodel with stronger structures. But if you run today, tomorrow, and the next day, it never has time to fully repair. Eventually, you could be looking at a stress fracture—and a season on the sidelines. Even if you do give yourself a rest day off from running each week, you should still be conscious of varying your speed and intensity throughout the week. For example, if you do hard track intervals on Monday, you should run at an easy pace on Tuesday. While your bones are still undergoing stress on Tuesday’s run, the impact is much less than the powerful force they absorbed on the track, so repairs can still happen. But the key to a recovery run is to do it at a recovery pace—the more you push the speed, the more shock your bones absorb, and the weaker they’ll be when you try to go fast again.
3. Tight tendons are protected.
Tendons are connective tissues that hold the muscle to bone, so they work constantly as the body moves. But blood doesn’t get to them easily, so they take longer to repair than tissues that have higher vascularity (like muscles). If they don’t get that time, the constant pounding can cause chronic damage, like tendinitis—which is inflammation from overuse.
Tendons are connective tissues that hold the muscle to bone, so they work constantly as the body moves. But blood doesn’t get to them easily, so they take longer to repair than tissues that have higher vascularity (like muscles). If they don’t get that time, the constant pounding can cause chronic damage, like tendinitis—which is inflammation from overuse.
4. Your brain has time to chill.
Yes, running is a form of stress relief. But every time you lace up, it increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Why? The body doesn’t know if you’re running away from danger or if you’re running for fun. That cortisol bump can cause mood issues, irritability, sleep problems, and other health issues if stress levels are chronically high. Think of it like a scale: Over train, and you’ve tipped too far in one direction; schedule regular rest days, and you’re back in balance.
Yes, running is a form of stress relief. But every time you lace up, it increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Why? The body doesn’t know if you’re running away from danger or if you’re running for fun. That cortisol bump can cause mood issues, irritability, sleep problems, and other health issues if stress levels are chronically high. Think of it like a scale: Over train, and you’ve tipped too far in one direction; schedule regular rest days, and you’re back in balance.
5. You can spend more time with family and friends.
While taking a rest day has many physical benefits, it also has several mental ones. Chiefly among them: Rest days grant you valuable time to spend with the family and friends you sometimes ditch to get your mileage in. While these folks are often our biggest fans—and sometimes even our running partners—they’ll probably appreciate a weekend morning that doesn’t involve you lacing up and sneaking out the door for a run.
Plus, if you often run alone, socializing with others can give you a valuable mental boost, especially when you’re nervous for a big race or bumming about a recent performance. Rather than ruminating on negative thoughts during a solo run, you might go on an easy hike with friends or make dinner with your family, making sure to turn your full attention to the people and task at hand. That way, the next time you run, your mind will be fresh, your loved ones will know you care, and you’ll have happier memories to outweigh any bad race results.
While taking a rest day has many physical benefits, it also has several mental ones. Chiefly among them: Rest days grant you valuable time to spend with the family and friends you sometimes ditch to get your mileage in. While these folks are often our biggest fans—and sometimes even our running partners—they’ll probably appreciate a weekend morning that doesn’t involve you lacing up and sneaking out the door for a run.
Plus, if you often run alone, socializing with others can give you a valuable mental boost, especially when you’re nervous for a big race or bumming about a recent performance. Rather than ruminating on negative thoughts during a solo run, you might go on an easy hike with friends or make dinner with your family, making sure to turn your full attention to the people and task at hand. That way, the next time you run, your mind will be fresh, your loved ones will know you care, and you’ll have happier memories to outweigh any bad race results.
6. You can try a new activity.
There’s some debate about how much rest is required on a rest day. While some runners are healthiest when they take rest days completely off from exercise—cross-training included—others prefer to do non-running activities on their rest days. If you fall into the latter group, you should be mindful of taking it easy in your exercise of choice. For instance, a leisurely, low-impact bike ride is a great way to flush out sore legs and tired feet, but if it turns into an intense, hilly session, your quads and glutes might be shot before your running week even begins. Gentler exercises like swimming are great choices for a rest day, as they stretch you out, force you to control your breathing, and strengthen your bones and muscles without stressing them too much.
For those who recover best by completely refraining from exercise, use the day to explore a new hobby or catch up on a project you’ve been neglecting. Running tends to take up a lot of our free time—especially when we’re training for a marathon—and unfortunately, when we’re also juggling work and family duties, other activities take a backseat. So on your rest day, read that book. Write that essay. Plant that garden. Taking some time out of your running shoes will do your body and mind good.
There’s some debate about how much rest is required on a rest day. While some runners are healthiest when they take rest days completely off from exercise—cross-training included—others prefer to do non-running activities on their rest days. If you fall into the latter group, you should be mindful of taking it easy in your exercise of choice. For instance, a leisurely, low-impact bike ride is a great way to flush out sore legs and tired feet, but if it turns into an intense, hilly session, your quads and glutes might be shot before your running week even begins. Gentler exercises like swimming are great choices for a rest day, as they stretch you out, force you to control your breathing, and strengthen your bones and muscles without stressing them too much.
For those who recover best by completely refraining from exercise, use the day to explore a new hobby or catch up on a project you’ve been neglecting. Running tends to take up a lot of our free time—especially when we’re training for a marathon—and unfortunately, when we’re also juggling work and family duties, other activities take a backseat. So on your rest day, read that book. Write that essay. Plant that garden. Taking some time out of your running shoes will do your body and mind good.
So there you have it friends. Don’t ever be afraid to skip a scheduled run to rest instead or to modify your training schedule to accommodate for life. We can definitely do that sometimes! And we should. Running is supposed to enhance our lives not be our lives. So listen to your body and your mind and remember to treat them good. You’ll reap the benefits in your training and you’ll experience the rewards on race day… which is coming up very soon.
Happy Running!
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