Is it ok to run every day? C25K

[DressedToThe90s]

Just re-started c25k and am up to week 5. My base fitness wasn’t too bad I don’t think as I’m generally quite active during the day, but I’m not ‘running fit’, hence doing c25k. I’m really enjoying it and finding it quite easy so far- do I have to have a rest day between runs or am I ok to crack on? Sometimes having an enforced rest day means I won’t get to run for a few days due to other commitments…

I’d say the amount of running in C25k is fine to do every day if you want to, yes. Obviously listen to your body, if you feel tired or achey then do take a break but if you feel good & happy to do it then crack on.

Reduces injury risk if you rest - you could walk , do some weight / body weight strength work or an online yoga on the rest days

So what you're asking is whether it's ok to run on consecutive days rather than every day, so for example the plan says you should run MWF but you prefer MTW? If so, I'd say that's fine. Re running every day, I know some people who do it (RED streaks etc) but they tend to do really low mileage some days which barely counts other than to make the streak. Generally I thin rest days are beneficial. I've actually cut my mileage quite a lot and my times have improved.

If you've got a base of fitness and are feeling comfortable, you can do back to back running days between rest days.

I would not recommend to a novice because the rest days are when the recovery and strength building happens. Also novices tend to be single-geared where "running" is single speed, hard gear so it takes too much out of the body to run consecutive days. When you can run "easy" with a slower pace that is comfortable and doesn't require recovery days after is when you cope better with the load bunching up.

I've done run-every-day streaks and even with "active rest" days of gentle, short runs, they're hard going.
I can often end up with 2-3 day blocks as that's the way life pans out and as a consistent runner, that's fine. Again the runs are all different taking different impacts on the body.

I think it's fine

You mean on consecutive days, presumably, not 7 days a week (as c25k is only three runs a week right?)
While it's not ideal, it's fine really, considering the relatively short distances you're covering and the fact you're finding it quite easy as have base fitness already. Even if you did all three runs on three consecutive days you would probably be covering less than 10 miles in total?

So yes, while a rest day would be preferable, for the odd week where life gets in the way of your routine it's not going to do you any harm.

That’s brilliant, thank you. Yes- I mean consecutive days rather than 7 x week - Monday/Tuesday then Thursday/Friday kind of thing! Sounds like it should be fine given the relatively low distance 🙂. Am enjoying it so much I don’t want to not run if I feel in the mood or have the time, just because I’ve already run the day before!

I got plantar fasciitis so make sure your trainers are still good-that they have bounce and haven’t been degrading in a cupboard.

I've found over the years it is more important to vary runs (length and speed), and to cancel them if feeling off/listen to body generally, than to stick to strict planned-in-advance non-run days.