Question for anyone who does 5K's?

[mebbradley]

Should you take a day off after a race? Like say the race is on a Saturday. Should you run that Sunday, or Wait until Monday?

I can't figure out which I should be doing.

Thanks!

 

[crewmatt]

It really depends, for someone in Marathon or half marathon shape, a 5k isnt really an appreciable distance, so they'd be fine doing either a long slow distance or a recovery run. For someone who is training for 5k's as a recreational runner and maybe some 10k's, I'd say its completely ok to do an EASY mile or two. The general rule in running and most athletic endeavors is hard day/easy day. so as long as you're not going to go full out a light run would be fine.

 

[mebbradley]

Thanks. I'm a cross country runner, and our coach leaves it up to us during the season but suggests we run at least a mile (which means we all run to Rita's and back to the college! haha). I'm used to running about 5 miles per day at practice so it's not too bad.

 

[stampingoddess]

I do alot of 5ks, including the occassional back-to-back (Saturday AM/Saturday PM or Saturday AM/Sunday AM). If you are a regular runner or walker I see no need to take the next day off. Heck those of us who have done the Goofy challenge run a half marathon then a marathon the next morning!

 

[SkinsFan76]

Run the next day, but make it a recovery run. You'll feel better than not running at all.

 

[SAHDad]

I'd say run, but I run every day, so take my advice with a grain of salt. Just make sure that, if you ran hard the previous day, you make the next day an easy recovery run, instead of trying to do another hard run.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

No recovery time. You should be able to run fine the next day. If not, you need to up your training program. The only races that really need a recovery period are the half marathon (2 weeks), and the full marathon (4 weeks) for the average person. For those who race all the time, that recovery period will be a bit shortened. But, that is what most running coaches recommend.

 

[scoolover]

I have read that you should go easy for the number if days that equal the number of miles in the race. Running a hard 5K would mean 3 easy days after. I usually take one real easy day one moderate day and then whatever feels right on the third day.