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There is a natural human belief that if some is good, more is better. This idea is all too often false, and can very destructive with training. It is important to realize that running does not make you a better runner - it is the rest that follows running that makes you a better runner. So the key to effective training is to balance the training with the rest. I have tried many different patterns of training and rest. I have found the most effective pattern for me is to run four days a week. These four days are all 'quality days'; I run for three hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then run four hours on Saturday. This gives me lots of long running, with enough rest to support that mileage. If I were training for the marathon distance or shorter, I would train three days per week. The key to running three or four days a week is that every run is a quality run that requires rest to recover. I don't run four days a week as a 'minimum I can get by' approach. This is being prepared to push the boundaries of my physical capabilities. I don't take extra days off to make things easier - I do it , but to make things harder. Running four days a week enables me to train on those four days much, much harder than I could if I trained more frequently. Currently I am focused purely on distance, but I have found the same thing when I am focused on speed as well; three interval training sessions and a long run works great.

Running four days a week is tough. It is tough to run hard enough to need the 48 hours recovery. But it is also physiologically psychologically tough; taking three days off is not as easy as it seems. The feeling that I am days off mean not doing enough, or that my a rest day will cause fitness will to dissipate in 24 hours is corrosive. I find it hard not to do a trivial run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I do these trivial runs for psychological reasons. It's not the right thing to do, but we all have to battle our demons in our own way. (I am trying to give them up, honest!)==Exceptions==There are exceptions to this advice. If your running training is not hard enough to require 48 hours recovery, you will be better off running more often. If you are just starting to run, then running 5-6 days a week may work for you. If you are running for general fitness and not pushing your body to its limits, then running 5-6 days a week may work for you. If you are have [[Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness|DOMS]], such as after a long race, more frequent runs may help. (I'll write more on DOMS in a later entry.) However, I would always advise one full days rest each week. Am I alone in my suggestion, or are there other plans that support the idea? Hal Higdon's Advanced II Marathon plan ([http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/advanced2/advancedII.htm%29 http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/advanced2/advancedII.htm)] has 6 days of running, but two days are trivial. Jeff Galloway ([http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html%29 http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html)Recovery Runs] uses four days/week. The Runner's World beginners plan ([http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6946-2-3X5X7-4,00.html%29 http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6946-2-3X5X7-4,00.html)] is four days/week. (The RW intermediary & advanced are 5 days.) Jack Daniels (my favorite coach) defines just two work outs a week, and leaves it up to you how you fit in the other milesmay help.

What ==Training Plans==The [[FIRST]] plan is based around running three days a week, and is the only plan I am aware of that has undergone scientific evaluation about its effectiveness. Hal Higdon'active recoverys Advanced II Marathon<ref name="Hal"/> plan has 6 days of running, but two days are trivial. Jeff Galloway<ref name="Jeff"/> uses four days/week. The Runner'? I've only found one scientific study s World beginners plan <ref name="RW"/>is four days/week. (The RW intermediary & advanced are 5 days.) [[1Jack Daniels Running Formula|Jack Daniels]] (my favorite coach) defines just two work outs a week, 2] and that indicates that active recovery does nothing leaves it up to help. On you how you fit in the other hand, it does not indicate that active recovery does any damage eithermiles.

==Active Recovery/Easy Days==What about 'active recovery'? I have included few supporting references or 've only found one scientific studies around training plansstudy <ref name="neuro"/><ref name="Active"/> and that indicated that active recovery does nothing to help. There On the other hand, it did not indicate that active recovery does not seem any damage either.==Active Recovery – Other meanings* 'Active Recovery' can refer to be any evidence doing low intensity exercise between the work periods of [[Introduction to support any given plan over another planInterval Training|Interval Training]], just anecdotal experience (of which this is parteffective.* Doing gentle exercise immediately after intense exercise (the cool down)may have some benefits. There is anecdotal evidence that walking for 20-30 minutes after a long run reduces muscle soreness.

==See Also==* [1[Supercompensation and Why exercise does not make you fit]]* [[Toxic Miles]]* [[Recovery Runs]] Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in elite female soccer: effects of active recovery.* [[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18202563 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18202563FIRST]]

[2] Rest v ==References==<references><ref name="neuro">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18202563 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18202563 Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in elite female soccer: effects of active recovery.</ref><ref name="Active Recovery[">http://evidencebasedfitness.blogspot.com/2008/02/rest-vs-active-recovery.html Rest v Active Recovery</ref><ref name="Jeff">http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html</ref><ref name="Hal">http://evidencebasedfitnesswww.blogspothalhigdon.com/2008marathon/advanced2/advancedII.htm</ref><ref name="RW">[http://www.runnersworld.com/02article/rest0,7120,s6-238-244--6946-vs2-active3X5X7-recovery4,00.html]</ref></references>