Elite distance runner Ryan Hall has said that for him, the hardest part of training is taking rest time. He knows he has to in order to prevent injury, but he hasn’t always liked it and finds it difficult to do. I, on the other hand, enjoy my off days a great deal. My body needs to recover, and I perform better when I’ve had rest.
Unfortunately this week has been too much resting. My company gym has been closed all week (except for Monday, which I did work out) due to the fact we’re hosting an event. Then, our weather has been in the high 90s all week, making it impossible to run outside. I already get up at 5:00 to get to work on time, so I can’t really squeeze in a run before that. So it’s been a lazy, lazy week.
I’m gearing up for my 20 mile run on Sunday. My marathon race partner is in town, so we finally have a chance to run together and try to tackle a huge distance. It’s our last major distance before we start to taper down and get ready for the big race. While some rest is a great thing that prepares you for a brutal run of 20 miles, I’m wondering am I going to be screwed from only running one day this week?
Deep down, I think I’ll be okay, but I feel awful having taken so much time off. Not to mention, I just feel icky. I feel flabby and I’m craving the thrill of the run. It’s a withdrawal to not work out. I feel restless and want to hit the pavement. It’s still an odd feeling to me that I crave working out. Granted, I’ve been working out steadily for the past 3 years, but I still find it bizarre that this former fat girl is dying to hit the gym when I’ve had too many days off.
So when training for a large event, do take rest days. Your body and muscles need them. But don’t take more than one at a time. Stay tuned for the 20 mile report, we shall see if this was a help or a hindrance.
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