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Questions and answers about sports

Recovery Run vs Rest Day?

4 min read

Asked by: Shea Parson

What is this? Active recovery means you’re giving your muscles some rest, but still moving and maintaining your fitness. Through active recovery you are helping your body recover and heal. A rest day workout gives you this active recovery and helps your body bounce back after a hard session or a hard week of sessions.

When should you do recovery runs?

Recovery runs are most effective if performed within 24 hours of an intense training run. This short time window is so you clear out the lactic acid built up in the blood-stream from the intense workouts.

Should I run on my rest days?

That depends on your individual goals. If you primarily want to build muscle, you do not need to do cardio on your rest days. However, if you want to strip fat and keep your cardiovascular fitness up, it is recommended you do a light cardio session like a run or swim between weight sessions.

Should I run the day after a 5k?

The day after your 5K, go for a short, easy-paced run. This will help get the blood flowing through your system to aid in muscle repair. A short run can also help to alleviate any aches you may feel. If your quads or calves are particularly sore, ice them down.

What is a good time for 5k by age?

In 2018 alone, 2.9 million people participated in 5k races. Based on all of that data, we have a pretty good idea of what a good 5k time is.
Average Intermediate 5k Times: Male.

Age Group: Male Average Intermediate 5k Time
20-30 22:31
30-40 23:01
40-50 24:39
50-60 26:42

Can I run everyday or should I rest?

Insider’s takeaway. Although running is a beneficial activity to do frequently, running every day can increase your risk of injuries like stress fractures and shin splints. Instead, aim to run three to five days a week and incorporate rest days and cross-training like biking or swimming.

Is running 5km 3 times a week enough?

Depends what you want to achieve really. If you want to just tick over and keep fairly active then 3 5ks a week, plus Pilates, is fine. If you want to become fitter, build your stamina and become a faster runner then you can keep at 3 runs a week but just increase the length and intensity of your sessions.

Is running 3 times a week enough?

If you exercise daily you will have lower risk of chronic disease, be leaner, and live longer than if you exercise just a few times a week. This doesn’t mean you have to run every day, however. If you care about running enough to seek some form of progress, you need to run at least three times per week.

What is an elite 5K time?

Elite runners and professionals run anything between 21:00 minutes down to almost 14:00 flat.

What is an impressive 5K time?

The world record time for a 5K stands at 12:37.35 minutes for men, held by Kenenisa Bekele, and 14:11.15 minutes for women, held by Tirunesh Dibaba – pretty impressive! The average 5K time for an advanced/elite runner is under 17 minutes for men and under 19 minutes for women.

What’s a respectable 5K time?

Everyday runners can aim to complete a mile in about 9 to 12 minutes. This means you’ll finish a 5K in about 28 to 37 minutes. Walkers can expect to complete a mile in about 15 to 20 minutes. Walking at a brisk pace should enable you to finish a 5K at around the hour mark.

Is a sub 20 5K good?

Anything under 30 minutes is a good 5K finish time for most recreational runners. But for those seeking to challenge themselves and reach their full running potential, joining the sun 20 minutes 5K club is a true accomplishment.

Should runners take protein?

Ludlow recommends runners consume between 0.5 to . 9 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. For a runner weighing about 150 pounds, that’s 75 to 135 grams of protein a day. Short-distance runners can likely get by with eating half their weight in grams of protein per day.