The news desk
Coverage of this question consists of a single report, published October 13, 2026, by Runners Connect on scientific training. That report advises that a short easy run of 10 to 30 minutes the day before a race usually leaves legs looser than a full rest day. It cites taper research supporting keeping most training days while cutting volume. It offers distance-specific shakeout lengths and strides: 15 to 30 minutes before a 5K or 10K, and 10 to 15 minutes before a marathon. The report also notes when resting instead may be preferable. No other reports, conflicting figures, or later updates are present in the supplied material, so the current state rests on this one source alone.
A short easy run of 10 to 30 minutes the day before a race usually leaves legs looser than a full rest day, and taper research supports keeping most training days while cutting volume. The article gives distance-specific shakeout lengths and strides, from 15 to 30 minutes before a 5K or 10K to 10 to 15 minutes before a marathon, plus when to rest instead.