Should You Run the Day After a Long Run?

Picture this: it's the night after your long run. You're sore, achey, tight. You wake in the middle of the night to go the bathroom and your calf feels like it was stabbed by a 14 month-old wielding a pair of chopsticks. You get back in bed, and the alarm barks at you three hours later. Time to hit the tarmac.

While it seems counterintuitive to get back out there the day after a long, taxing effort, I've found it helpful for advancing my training. If you prioritize proper recovery and nutrition heading into your long run, a recovery-paced session the next day can be beneficial for your fitness and your mindset. Here are three reasons why I always run the day after my long run.

Reason #1: The Ritual

I'll admit: I'm an addict. While I don't do purposeful run streaks, I'll run every day until I'm something pops up that makes me need to take a rest day, usually business travel or extreme soreness. This is probably not the best training strategy for everyone, but it works for me. The mental benefits of getting in a solid 30-minute plus run transcend the benefit of taking a day off.

Aside from the immediate post-run benefits of running, maintaining the routine of the morning run sets me up for success throughout the day. It helps me focus throughout the work day, boosts my mood and gives me the energy necessary to battle wits with a spitfire 4 year old.

Reason #2: Building the Aerobic Engine

You know what the three rules of running are? Consistency, consistency, consistency. Running the day after a longer effort at a recovery pace helps me build my aerobic engine, which is the base for all enudrance training. I say "building the aerobic engine" so often around my house that it's a meme at this point.

The common rule for structuring an endurance training plan is to allocate 80% of miles to aerobic base building runs and 20% to faster race pace running and speedier efforts. Doing a longer recovery run of 6 to 10 miles the day after my long run, which is 16+ miles, gives me a chance to bag some more aerobic base–paced miles.

Generally, your aerobic base pace is a minute or two slower than your race paces, depending on fitness level. Check out the VDOT02 Calculator to find yours; it converts your race paces to training paces based on research from the legendary coach Jack Daniels, whose philosophies I follow.

Reason #3: Promoting Blood Flow for Recovery

While the benefits of recovery running are under debate, I have anecdotal evidence from my own experience that they help me recover. After a 30-minute to an hour-long run, I always feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me. I generally sit at my desk working all day, so getting my run in the morning is my best chance for physical activity.

In the midst of bigger training blocks, I'll run upwards of 80 miles per week. This means running every day of the week and doing double run days. Running the day after a long run helps keep my body and mind ready to go at any time—as we like to say around here: stay ready so you don't have to get ready.

Now, Should You Run the Day After a Long Run?

While I always run the day after a long run, it's mainly to keep my body active and my mind sharp. I've found what my body can handle and what feels right for me. To decide whether you should run the day after your long effort, ask yourself these three questions: can my body handle it? Will it help me feel better mentally? Do the benefit outweigh the potential risks?

If you're nursing a minor injury or are mentally fatigued from logging a ton of miles through the week, it's likely best to take the day off. But if getting out of the house and getting the blood flowing helps you attack the day with vigor, then get out there and get after it (at a recovery pace, of course).