missed week of running and its effects

Have a bad week of running?

Don’t stress out.  It’s not as big of a deal as you think it is!  Everyone, every now and then, has a week like you’re having.

If you have a bad week, it’s not going to ruin your race or your training cycle.  The week off will act as a down week and will allow your body to freshen up and recover a bit before you dive back into hard training.

How to rebound from a bad week of training

• Don’t panic.  There are worse things in the world than missing a few runs.  Get back on the horse next week.
• Don’t make up for lost time.  We all think that if we missed 3 runs last week that we should do 3 more runs next week.  Nope!  Not true.  Just pick up where you left off. Especially if the reason why you missed your runs wasn’t because of injury.
• Fake it ‘til you make it.  That’s right.  A missed week or a few missed runs is like a mini-taper.  Always think of it in a positive light instead of a negative one.
• If you’ve been running and you’re in shape, you can tack on a mile to the end of 1-2 runs to pad your weekly numbers. Remember, your body doesn’t know miles per week, so don’t stress out that your numbers don’t look great.

Preventing a bad week from turning into a bad month

• Focus on what you can control.
• Make a plan and do your best to stick to it.
• Find someone to hold you accountable.
• Find motivation: online, in person, or with a running group.
• Switch up your training and try something new.
• Set a goal a few weeks away and aim your training toward that goal.

Want more training tips? Survive the Treadmill, Preparing to Race, Fun Training Questions