Running requires persistence, and “persistence” does not mean that you have to run every day. Regular running within a week can also be called “persistence”.
So, how many times a week should you run and how long should you run each time?
This depends on each person’s physique, exercise foundation, recovery ability and endurance level, so there is no standard answer.
1. Minimum exercise standards for adults
The American Physical Activity Guidelines point out that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.
Running is a high-intensity exercise, and the cumulative exercise time per week reaches 75 minutes to meet the minimum health standard. This can be spread over a week, and you can run 3 days a week, about 25-30 minutes each time, which is approximately equivalent to a distance of 3-5 kilometers.
This is a more scientific and reasonable approach. In daily life, most people can relatively easily spare 25 to 30 minutes for exercise, and the distance of 3-5 kilometers is not too far, and the exercise intensity is relatively moderate.
Of course, if you are in good physical condition, you can also run only one day a week, running for 75 minutes, about 10-12 kilometers.
2. Optimal amount of exercise
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans also point out that within a healthy range, exercise intensity is proportional to health benefits.
Studies have shown that accumulating about 5 hours of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 2.5 hours of high-intensity exercise, can more effectively improve health levels. The ratio of the minimum amount of exercise to the optimal amount of exercise is roughly 1:2.
Specifically, if it is spread over a week, running 5 days a week, 30 minutes each time, is approximately equivalent to running 4-5 kilometers.
You can also run 3 days a week, that is, run one day and rest one day, 40-60 minutes each time, about 8-10 kilometers. Many veterans with certain running habits mostly adopt this approach.
3. For novice runners
For novice runners, running 2-3 times a week, 30 minutes each time, is a more appropriate frequency.
Because novice runners often have poor physical fitness and their bodies have not yet fully adapted to high-intensity exercise loads, adequate rest and recovery are particularly important.
“Sharpening the knife does not delay the chopping of wood”, proper rest can promote runners to perform more efficiently and persistently in subsequent training. In addition, 30 minutes of exercise time is just right for novices, enough to exercise the cardiopulmonary function to a certain extent, improve the body’s endurance and metabolic level, and at the same time it will not take up too much time in life, making it easier to integrate running into life and form a stable running habit.
For novice runners, the focus is on whether running can be sustained, rather than running farther or longer every time.
4. For veteran runners
For veteran runners, they often have their own unique insights and training philosophies. Some people run 7 days a week, but it is not recommended to do so. At least one day a week is a rest day.
When running, muscles, joints and cardiopulmonary systems are under great pressure, and rest days help the body to carry out necessary repairs and reconstructions, which can effectively reduce the risk of sports injuries, while promoting the growth of muscle strength and the improvement of cardiopulmonary function.
In addition, from a psychological perspective, rest days are also an opportunity to relax psychologically, which helps to avoid the accumulation of boredom and fatigue caused by running.
Of course, if running every day is as easy as walking, without any burden or discomfort, and you have plenty of time, that is another matter.
But for most ordinary people, running every day may exceed the body’s tolerance, leading to excessive exercise, which is harmful to health.
