The real avid runners among us may want to run 5K every day. Before you do this, it is of course important to know whether this is safe for your body. Running a 5K every day will put a lot of strain on your body. On the other hand, there are also many health benefits that running a 5K every day has to offer. We will discuss all of this in this article!
Table of Contents
- What is the risk of running a 5K every day?
- Tips to avoid overload
- The benefits of running a 5K every day
- Will you lose weight if you run a 5K every day?
- Tips for sustaining running a 5K every day
- Conclusion
What is the risk of running a 5K every day?
The biggest risk of running a 5K every day speaks for itself; overload of muscles, bones, tendons, and joints. Running 5 kilometers every day, especially if done at a fast pace, will put a lot of strain on your body. This overload can lead to various injuries.
It is extremely important to ‘listen’ to your body. There are several symptoms by which you can recognize overtraining. So try to teach yourself to ‘listen’ to your body, and if you see the following symptoms (in the table) in yourself, it is wise to slow down your pace or stop running 5 kilometers every day until your body ‘tells you’ that it is possible again.
There are 3 different phases within the overload; 1) functional overreaching, 2) non-functional overreaching, and 3) overtraining syndrome. Only the functional overreaching is a phase that is still positive; after recovery, you will be stronger than before the training stimulus. However, this is not the case with non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome, which will hurt your performance.
The data below comes from ‘Sportzorg’ (It is translated from Dutch) ~ Link.
| Phase of overload | Symptoms | Duration of recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Functional overreaching | – Fatigue – Sports performance takes more effort – Uneasy feeling – Muscle strain | Days to weeks |
| Non-functional overreaching | – Fatigue – Decrease in performance – Insomnia (especially falling asleep is difficult) – Uneasy feeling – Quickly irritated – Reduced ability to concentrate – Increased resting heart rate – Decreased appetite – Muscle pain/stiffness | Weeks to months |
| Overtraining syndrome | – Incessant fatigue – Inability to perform – Insomnia or sleeping a lot – Depressed feelings – Greatly decreased appetite – Disordered resting heart rate – Major concentration problems | Many months |
Tips to avoid overload
Preventing is always better than curing, so now that you know the symptoms of overload, you must know how to prevent overload. We share some tips with you below.
- Buy good running shoes : Good running shoes are essential for runners. Not only can they make running more enjoyable itself, they can also reduce the risk of overload.
- Slowly increase your pace : Many people start too enthusiastically and start at too high a speed. This often quickly leads to overload injuries. If you are not an experienced runner, start at an easy pace and increase your pace slowly.
- Warm up before you start : Many people know that a warm-up is important to do before you start exercising, yet very few people actually do a warm-up. With a warm-up you prepare your body for the running and is therefore essential. A warm-up doesn’t have to be complicated at all! Click here for an easy warm-up that only takes 5 minutes.
- Don’t push yourself to the limit : It can be tempting to push yourself to the limit while running. Especially if you want to improve your time on the 5 kilometers, for example. However, if you run 5 kilometers every day, it is not advisable to go all the way. The training stimulus is then simply too heavy for your body. If you do want to go to the extreme, make sure you schedule a rest day the next day. Or simply take it easy the next day.
- Get enough sleep : When you sleep, your body has a chance to recover. It is therefore important to get enough sleep, especially if you run a lot or do other sports. By recovering during your sleep, the chance of overload will decrease.
The benefits of running a 5K every day
In addition to the risk of straining, running a 5K every day also has several health benefits. We now list the most important ones for you.
- You will feel happier : Several studies have shown that running makes you feel happy. This effect is especially noticeable after the training and is also known as the ‘runner’s high’. Perhaps you recognize the feeling; you’ve completed your run and feel like you can take on the world!
- You will burn a lot of calories : This is of course quite self-explanatory; if you run 5 kilometers every day, you will burn a lot of calories. Your burned calories together with your calorie intake determine whether you will lose weight or not. So especially if you want to lose weight, burning calories is very important.
- Better aerobic fitness / a stronger heart : Running 5 kilometers every day will dramatically improve your aerobic fitness. Your heart muscle will become more powerful and can transport more blood to your muscles per beat. This will make it easier for oxygen to be transported to your muscles and waste products will be better removed. This allows you to sustain effort for longer.
- You will sleep better : Several studies have shown that exercising leads to better sleep patterns. An example of such a study[1] comes from S. Brand and colleagues, who showed that this effect also occurs in non-elite athletes.
- Your leg muscles will get stronger: Of course, when you run, you mainly use your leg muscles. They will therefore become stronger. In addition, there are several muscles that contribute to the stabilization of your body during running, such as your abdominal muscles, that will also become stronger.
Will you lose weight if you run a 5K every day?
Many people who plan to run a 5K every day will do so for weight loss. That is why the question of whether you will lose weight with this is of course very relevant. And the annoying thing is that you can’t simply answer this question with yes or no.
When your weight increases or decreases, 2 important factors play a role: 1) the amount of calories you burn and 2) the amount of calories you get through your diet. If you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. The fact is that running a 5K will burn you a lot of calories every day. Exactly how much this is will depend on the running speed and your weight. Click here to find out approximately how many calories you burn while running 5 kilometers.
So you will burn more calories compared to if you weren’t running a 5K every day. However, if you start eating these calories extra when you run every day, running will have no effect on your weight. Therefore, if your goal is to lose weight, try to keep eating the same amount. Then you can lose weight. It is of course best to eat a bit healthier, click here for a simple step-by-step plan.
Tips for sustaining running a 5K every day
Running a 5K every day is tough; both physically and mentally. Many people who start with it give up quickly. Don’t be such a person! If you’re going for it, don’t give up! We now share some tips with you to make running a little more enjoyable, which will make you less likely to give up.
- Set goals : Goal setting can be a great source of motivation. Therefore, always keep track of the time in which you complete the 5 kilometers. Then try to beat that time! If you run a 5K every day it is not advisable to try to improve your fastest time every day, this is just too hard on your body. Do this about 2 times a week.
- Listen to music : Music can make running a lot more enjoyable. Are you still looking for a good playlist or good songs to listen to while running? Then click here.
- Find a running buddy : Finding someone to run with can make running much more fun. In addition, you can also motivate each other to go if someone doesn’t feel like it for a day. Try to find someone who is about the same level as you in terms of running.
- Schedule the run at a fixed time of the day : Routines are essential to keep things going. If you have to find a time every day when you can run, it doesn’t become a routine. Try to schedule your run at a fixed time of the day. Running will then become a routine and easier to maintain.
Conclusion
Is it ok to run 5K every day? Yes for sure! To do this safely, it is important that you keep an eye on the symptoms of overload. Overload will lead to a deterioration in your performance and various other negative effects. If you pay attention to this, you can go for it! There are many positive health effects associated with running 5K every day, so try it out I’d say.
Lifestyle coach [5+ years of fitness experience]
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