Is It Ok To Run Everyday? – UPDATED – Running Every Day As A Beginner

Is it ok to run everyday? In short, yes and no. Firstly it depends on how long you have been running and how much. That will dictate whether it is possible to run everyday or not.

Currently, the longest-running streak is over 50 years. That equates to more than 1 mile every day. Impressive, to say the least, but should you follow in their footsteps?

For most people, the quick answer is no. Running every day takes an incredible amount of commitment, and not only that, it takes a healthy and resilient body to handle daily running.

For most people, having one day off per week rather than running every day will help the body adapt to the training and allow for adequate recovery. This way, you are more inclined to keep consistent and see a much larger improvement from your workouts.

If you are inclined to run every day, do so by breaking up the runs into a mix of quality and distance. The variation will give you a much-needed mental break from slow running and provide a much better platform to improve.

Alternatively, you may be someone that runs for fun and fitness, with no competition goals in mind. If this is the case, running every day is a possibility.

To start running every day, make sure you choose a distance that you think you can manage without injury or illness. Remember, you are looking to stay consistent, so be very careful when picking your daily mileage.

 

Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy while running every day:

– Keep the mileage low at the beginning
– Include weekly foam rolling exercises
– Include 2-3 runs per week on trails or grass
– Lower the volume of weekly running every 4-5 weeks
– Vary the intensity of the runs
– Include stretching 2-3 time per week

By keeping the mileage low during the start of your running streak can help create consistency. You can then start to increase the mileage if you see the body is handling running every day. Make sure to include at least a few days per week doing some foam rolling exercises. It will keep the muscles supple and prevent any muscle knots from forming from the constant running.

During the first few months, it is also wise to vary the intensity. Constant repetition of the same speed, course, and surface is often a large cause of injuries. So, changing what you run on can help to build strength in the ankles and knees while providing a softer surface to run on.

Can I Run Everyday As A Beginner?

As a beginner, it is wise not to run every day. Since the body is new to running, it needs adequate time to repair itself and strengthen the bones, muscles, and ligaments.

First, start by running every second or third day as a beginner. That will allow enough time for the body to repair itself and for your cardiovascular fitness to improve. Then after 3-4 months of consistency, add another run to the week’s training.

Usually, after a period of 3-4 months, the body has become more resilient to the stress placed on it. So, this is the time you may be able to start running every day as a beginner. But make sure you follow some of the tips we shared to keep the body healthy. Also, make sure you start with lower mileage than you have already been doing.

Is It Healthy To Run Everyday?

In terms of health, yes. Running every day is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular health, lose weight and trim that unwanted belly fat.

One study from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, found that running is more effective at losing weight and trimming belly fat than weight training.

Even though it is healthy to run everyday, it does have some downsides though. Doing this every day can place a large stress on the knees, joints, and tendons. It can also cause sore ribs while running and other niggles when doing so much training. So take this into account if you’re a new runner aiming for a long streak of running.

If you find running everyday causes joint issues like osteoarthritis, try alternating the surface you run on or start including some workouts on the elliptical machines. Elliptical machines offer similar benefits without the impact and stress running provides.

How Long Should I Jog Everyday?

A good starting point for a beginner runner looking to jog everyday is around 10-20 minutes. While this may not sound like much, as a newbie runner you need to build up to the volume a more experienced runner can handle. Ultimately this could take up to one year, depending on how well your body adapts and how resilient you are to injuries.

For the more experienced runner, the amount you should jog everyday can vary from 30-60 minutes and upwards. Again this depends on how long you have been running, injuries, and your current fitness level.

Ultimately the longer you have been running and the more mileage you have behind you will dictate how long you can run each day and keep that going for months or even years.

Although we know running everyday is beneficial for health benefits, it is not always good for improving your current speed and fitness. If your goal is to improve over 5k, 10k, or marathon, we highly recommend you stay away from training everyday. You will need days for the body to rest and recovery, whether this is a day off each week or a rest day after a training block. Either way, recovery is just as important as the training, as this is where you will see the benefits of your training.

The number of days off will depend on your current volume and how your periodization looks. If you don’t know when or where to add in these rest days, we recommend you contact a running coach that can help put the correct training plan in place for you.