Rest day vs recovery day: Which is better?

Today is my rest day, meaning I will not be doing any activity today other than writing this post and washing/folding laundry. I cherish my rest days because I know how important they are for helping my body recover. Rest and recovery days are important for muscle recovery and help prevent injury when done properly. So what is the difference?

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recovery days vs rest days

Recovery days are usually after a tough run, ideally after a workout day or hard effort day. On recovery days, I like to either cross train or get in a super easy, short run.

Rest days on the other hand, are days completely off, with no physical activity. I will sometimes go for a walk on my rest days, but I aim for no activity because I want to give my legs the rest they deserve.

Now that you know the difference, let’s talk about how to schedule them!

In college, and in my current training, my weeks look like this:

Monday: normal run

Tuesday: workout (speed day)

Wednesday: recovery day (3-4 miles easy)

Thursday: normal run

Friday: workout (speed day)

Saturday: rest day

Sunday: long run

Because everyone’s training schedule is different, there is no right way to add in recovery and rest days. I like my recovery day after my first workout and my rest day after my second. I’ve tried to take other days off, but nothing felt right, so Saturday will be my off day for now (probably forever).

If you like an off day after your long run and have one workout a week, try this:

Monday: rest day

Tuesday: normal run

Wednesday: workout (speed day)

Thursday: recovery run

Friday: normal run

Saturday: normal run

Sunday: long run

Or if your long run is on Saturday:

Monday: normal run

Tuesday: normal run

Wednesday: workout (speed day)

Thursday: recovery run

Friday: normal run

Saturday: long run

Sunday: rest day

The best part about this sport is the flexibility and ability to move things around if need be. But one thing that stays constant is the importance of including a rest day and/or recovery day in your training. Try out different schedules to find the best days to get in your rest and recovery days. Not all runners are the same and what works for me, may not work best for you!

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How I Fit It All In With a Busy Work Schedule