Marathon Training on Hold: This Bites
Register for marathon. Check. Decide on training plan. Check. Map out training plan to exactly 16 weeks before race. Check. Plan out runs for next two weeks including "Jack care" for the long runs. Check. Check out new running sneakers. Check. Stock pantry with fuel for long runs. Check. Add more songs to running play list on Ipod. Check.
Could this preparation for the start of my marathon training be any more perfect? Everything ready to go for Day 1 of training, June 25th!
Well, this was the plan. The perfect plan. The perfect plan that became imperfect when I caught a virus. A most annoying virus that has held me hostage to the couch since Sunday. Well, it would have liked to have held me hostage, but of course I escaped to attend to my daily activities as much as possible with a rest here and there. But to run? This virus has turned my legs to heavy lead that will not lift without the help of a crane. This of course means no running this week. No start to training this week. All the enthusiasm and energy swallowed up by this virus.
How am I to fit my perfect 16 week training program into 15? How do I make that work? Hanging on so tightly to this perfect training program, each day I wake up and I think...okay, I could maybe swing a 3 miler today, but then that voice inside me reminds me I would just be doing more damage by getting out there for a run under the weather. Most times, I fully believe in sweating out a cold, keeping up with the workouts, but for fear of being down and out for 2 weeks and a vacation coming up, I am opting for rest and it's killing me!
Personally, I am happy to follow David Nieman's (Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University) advice he puts out in Runner's World, "symptoms below the neck require time off, while symptoms above the neck don't pose a risk to runners continuing workouts". Unfortunately, this virus hit every joint and bone in my body head to toe. It's finally weaning, which of course makes me automatically think, "could I run tomorrow?" But really the question is, "should I"? The answer is probably not. I should wait until I am 100% so I don't risk being sick longer or during a long awaited vacation.
There's just this thing with runners. We are addicts. We are completely addicted to running and will do anything we can to fit them in. Wake up at the wee hour of 4:00am to fit in a run, wait for the summer heat to die down at 8:00pm and go for a run, bring our running clothes to work to fit in a quick 3 miles before having to head home, squeeze our preschoolers into the jogging stroller they have outgrown just to say we've run (maybe more power walked), throwing on our tracks for the bottom of our sneakers to fit in a run on a snowstorm day, or trade babysitting with other runners to fit in the runs. We're crazy. We will go great lengths to stick to a running plan and fit in all those runs.
So, how does one runner stop themselves? It's hard, it's so hard. Almost depressing really. Well, maybe that is being a bit melodramatic, but the point is it isn't easy to put on the brakes even when that's the best decision. It has taken great mental effort each day this week to talk myself out of running, even as I start to feel better. Running is a huge part of my life for both physical and mental purposes. I am grateful to have good health so I am able to run, but that means I have to take care of myself and "listen to my body" so that I can have more days that I am able to run.
With this situation comes another opportunity to embrace the imperfections. I can't run this week, therefore I can't start my training plan. In the end, it means maybe I will only get to one 20 mile run instead of two before the big day, but I want to get to the big day so I have to let go of running this week to ensure my health for the next 15 weeks. So, it's not the perfect training plan, but I've pouted enough. Time to accept and move forward. Use the time differently to catch up on other things, take naps, and read books. Easier said than done for a runner. Am I correct runners?? What do you do when your under the weather? Push it or rest or does it depend? How do you stop yourself from running when rest is the best solution?
This is an area where I need a little assistance;) I love to run. I love to follow a training program "perfectly". However, here I am in life embracing the imperfections so it's now that I must take on my 'imperfect training'. It's like walking against a really, REALLY strong wind, but I can do this. I can rest this week and still be successful in completing another marathon as can any runner. In the end, I believe it just might be possible to run a marathon with an imperfect training. I shall find out!
Could this preparation for the start of my marathon training be any more perfect? Everything ready to go for Day 1 of training, June 25th!
Well, this was the plan. The perfect plan. The perfect plan that became imperfect when I caught a virus. A most annoying virus that has held me hostage to the couch since Sunday. Well, it would have liked to have held me hostage, but of course I escaped to attend to my daily activities as much as possible with a rest here and there. But to run? This virus has turned my legs to heavy lead that will not lift without the help of a crane. This of course means no running this week. No start to training this week. All the enthusiasm and energy swallowed up by this virus.
How am I to fit my perfect 16 week training program into 15? How do I make that work? Hanging on so tightly to this perfect training program, each day I wake up and I think...okay, I could maybe swing a 3 miler today, but then that voice inside me reminds me I would just be doing more damage by getting out there for a run under the weather. Most times, I fully believe in sweating out a cold, keeping up with the workouts, but for fear of being down and out for 2 weeks and a vacation coming up, I am opting for rest and it's killing me!
Personally, I am happy to follow David Nieman's (Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University) advice he puts out in Runner's World, "symptoms below the neck require time off, while symptoms above the neck don't pose a risk to runners continuing workouts". Unfortunately, this virus hit every joint and bone in my body head to toe. It's finally weaning, which of course makes me automatically think, "could I run tomorrow?" But really the question is, "should I"? The answer is probably not. I should wait until I am 100% so I don't risk being sick longer or during a long awaited vacation.
There's just this thing with runners. We are addicts. We are completely addicted to running and will do anything we can to fit them in. Wake up at the wee hour of 4:00am to fit in a run, wait for the summer heat to die down at 8:00pm and go for a run, bring our running clothes to work to fit in a quick 3 miles before having to head home, squeeze our preschoolers into the jogging stroller they have outgrown just to say we've run (maybe more power walked), throwing on our tracks for the bottom of our sneakers to fit in a run on a snowstorm day, or trade babysitting with other runners to fit in the runs. We're crazy. We will go great lengths to stick to a running plan and fit in all those runs.
So, how does one runner stop themselves? It's hard, it's so hard. Almost depressing really. Well, maybe that is being a bit melodramatic, but the point is it isn't easy to put on the brakes even when that's the best decision. It has taken great mental effort each day this week to talk myself out of running, even as I start to feel better. Running is a huge part of my life for both physical and mental purposes. I am grateful to have good health so I am able to run, but that means I have to take care of myself and "listen to my body" so that I can have more days that I am able to run.
With this situation comes another opportunity to embrace the imperfections. I can't run this week, therefore I can't start my training plan. In the end, it means maybe I will only get to one 20 mile run instead of two before the big day, but I want to get to the big day so I have to let go of running this week to ensure my health for the next 15 weeks. So, it's not the perfect training plan, but I've pouted enough. Time to accept and move forward. Use the time differently to catch up on other things, take naps, and read books. Easier said than done for a runner. Am I correct runners?? What do you do when your under the weather? Push it or rest or does it depend? How do you stop yourself from running when rest is the best solution?
This is an area where I need a little assistance;) I love to run. I love to follow a training program "perfectly". However, here I am in life embracing the imperfections so it's now that I must take on my 'imperfect training'. It's like walking against a really, REALLY strong wind, but I can do this. I can rest this week and still be successful in completing another marathon as can any runner. In the end, I believe it just might be possible to run a marathon with an imperfect training. I shall find out!
You did the right thing to rest. You have done 26.2 so this is not new territory for you. Just start this week & follow til you get to the end whether or not you finish before your race. But be sure to follow plan at the end for your rest period. Good luck!
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