Written by Rosie Edwards.
We are runners. And for many of us (as runners), our mentality is to GO, GO, GO! We love to push the boundaries of what we think our bodies can do and live to test the waters in order to gain that extra 1%.
But have you ever stopped to think about how our bodies absorb all of the hard work that we put in?
Insert the HOLY GRAIL of training, REST.
You might notice the Runcoach schedule has a "6 day max" of run day assignments. Why does every individual need at least one day off? Let's find out:
- Recovery: Training is a stimulus or stress which elicits a response. We stress our bodies through physical activity. It is within recovery that we see super compensation of fitness development through cellular adaptation, further capillarization in the leg muscles, and improved blood chemistry to move oxygen to our working muscles.
- Injury prevention: It’s no secret that running can be hard on the body. Many of us are road runners. We pound on the concrete in preparation for our next big opportunity to go fast. Our muscles, joints and bones need a break from this.
- Replenishing glycogen stores: When training we use the glycogen in our muscles for energy and it can be a training regimen in itself to keep these stores topped off through adequate nutrition. A rest day provides you with a day to top off precious glycogen stores in preparation for your next big run.
So next time that you put your feet up, feel good about it. Rest is an invaluable part of your training too, after all.
