Rest is the easiest thing one can do; all runs are voluntary and require being set into motion. Two weeks ago I realized that my leg was a bit worse off than it has been over the course of the past few years. I took a week off, and since then I've learned a good bit about running. Here's a non-comprehensive list of things that I've noticed:
It's really, really easy to fall out of the habit of getting up at 5:30 AM to run. One week off absolutely crushed my ability to get out of bed.
The first run back has great potential to be a kid-in-the-candy-shop type situation. When unsure about the extent and nature of an injury, it's necessary to hold back. These two things do not mesh well.
Time spent not running is time spent doing house work and the like. I got a pantsload done Columbus Day weekend.
No matter how much you think about how to describe your injury, you're probably going to sound like a fool when talking to a doctor or physical therapist.
It's more difficult to explain why in the hell you want to run a 50 mile race to a doctor.
Shoe wear patterns aren't always a perfect way to analyze your stride: my sole wear pattern is a decidedly mid-foot wear pattern. Per my therapist, the pain and soreness that I've experienced are probably the results of limited ankle motion (dorsiflexion: ENHANCE) and the increased strain on my calf due to that limited motion.
Dorsiflexion is a pretty cool term.
A week off doesn't hinder running ability too much. We'll see how this Saturday's long run goes, but so far I've handled two 6 mile jaunts without any issues whatsoever aside from the early mornings.