I was talking only this morning with a friend about the importance of rest days in the running calendar. It is very important to incorporate these times into our schedules (and often the rest results in the big improvements) particularly as we get older so that the body has the time to repair and get stronger for the next bout of workouts. This is ultimately how we improve over time.
By only hammering the body at long distances and all through the week, we will only develop the plods and become overtrained. This is never any good as we lose our enthusiasm for the run and what was once a pleasure on a regular basis tends to become more of a chore over time. The legs and body feel heavy all the time and we just plain ‘Hurt’.
Running is like a pendulum for us, it can only swing back as high as it came (or higher) if we give it the rest it needs on the one side. As Fordyce always says, the best way to train for long distances is often to undertake a program of caution first. Listen to the body and let it dictate – if in doubt rather adopt the cautious of two approaches and the body will thank you in the long run.
Running together –stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
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