What Should You Do on a Rest Day? A Guide for High School Distance Runners
Rest days aren't wasted days — here's how to use them to actually get faster.
You planned a rest day. Now you're wondering if you should be doing something — or if just relaxing is the right call.
Here's the answer: rest days are when your body actually gets faster. During race season, your muscles are repairing, your glycogen is restoring, and your nervous system is resetting. The goal isn't to do nothing — it's to recover with intention.
How you spend your rest day should depend on how your legs feel. Here are two options.
Option 1 — Active Recovery Recommended if your legs feel okay — tired, but not wrecked.
Go for a 15–20 min easy walk outside — just enough to get blood moving, not enough to add stress
Do 10–15 minutes of dynamic stretching or yoga, focusing on the distance runner trouble spots: hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves
Foam roll your quads, IT band, and calves — slow passes, not aggressive grinding
Finish with a hot Epsom salt bath. Hot over cold plunge for general soreness — heat promotes circulation and recovery.
Option 2 — Passive Recovery Recommended if your legs are really beat up — heavy, sore, or inflamed.
Genuinely rest — horizontal time is productive time during race season
Elevate your legs for 15–20 min against a wall to drain soreness from the lower legs
Ice or use contrast therapy on anything that's hurt or inflamed — otherwise, go with a hot Epsom salt bath
Watch your time on your feet — this sneaks up on high schoolers between classes, lunch, and after school. Sit down when you can.
Both Options — Do These No Matter What
Sleep is the #1 recovery tool — aim for 8–9+ hours, not 7. Use weekend naps to bring your weekly average up.
Eat like you trained — your body is repairing muscle today; don't under-eat just because you didn't run. Prioritize protein.
Hydrate — dehydration lingers and makes soreness worse than it needs to be.
Mental reset — step away from Strava. Don't check what others ran. Trust your plan.
The runners who improve most during race season aren't the ones who train on rest days. They're the ones who recover best on rest days.
Rest well. Show up tomorrow ready to run.
Coach Justin Roeder is a former Indiana State Cross Country Champion and a former NCAA Division I Head Coach of Cross Country and Track & Field at IU Indianapolis. He offers 1-on-1 private coaching for high school runners in Indianapolis and online.
