Is it good to run every day?

Running, whether on asphalt or in the mountains, has become increasingly popular over the years, possibly owing to its multiple benefits and accessibility: all you need to run is a good pair of trainers and plenty of perseverance. It’s a sport that can be practised everywhere and in all seasons, and it can also be tailored to all fitness levels.

As running is a solo activity, many runners often wonder about the best approach to training and whether it's beneficial or essential to train every day. Today, we'll try to tackle this issue, but it's important to note that the answer varies for each individual. In other words, everyone has their own limits and goals, so you should adjust the frequency and intensity of your training plan accordingly.

Some people need to run daily to manage stress and anxiety, while others require recovery days between high-intensity training sessions.

The intensity of the training is key to determining its frequency

To develop this idea further, we need to talk about heart rate zones, which range from lower to higher intensity according to your maximum heart rate (HR Max). The HR Max can be obtained by performing a professional stress test and, in general, by subtracting your age from 220.

Based on this, we can establish the following zones: • Zone 1 (Very light) from 50% to 60% of the HR Max. • Zone 2 (Light) 60% to 70% of the HR Max. • Zone 3 (Moderate) 70% to 80% of the HR Max. • Zone 4 (Hard) 80% to 90% of the HR Max. • Zone 5 (Very hard) from 90% to 100% of the HR Max.

Why is this important? Because training every day in Zone 1 is not the same as training every day in Zone 5; they have different effects on our bodies and different outcomes in terms of achieving goals. Generally speaking, you can train every day in zone 1, zone 2, or even zone 3, albeit for less time (roughly 45 minutes). Zones 4 and 5, on the other hand, require recovery to be effective.

Nevertheless, if you want to improve your speed, working in the higher zones is better, but the effort will require a longer recovery time. In effect, this means that someone preparing for a 10K will probably work more in higher-intensity zones, while someone training for a marathon will work in the lower-intensity zones.

So now you're in the know, set your priorities and goals to train for the next Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB 2025.