We’ve all been there- you look at the clock and it’s 2:15; the kids will be home soon and you haven’t run yet. Or, it’s the perfect morning for your hard workout; you’re dressed and ready to go, and your boss texts you and says the 10am meeting has been moved up an hour. Or, it’s raining and TBS is in the middle of the Friends marathon…
Even the most accomplished runners miss a scheduled workout day. It’s never fun, but how do you “make up for it”?? Typically, you don’t. Anyone that is training for a specific goal will feel some guilt and frustration when training does not go according to plan. Here are three important tips to remember if you should miss a workout day.
(Please note, this is NOT referring to missed training due to injury/illness- we will tackle that subject in a future post!!)
Don’t try to add in extra workouts or miles to “make up” for missed time. This is a way to heighten the injury risk. Instead, try and get right back on track and mentally “shut the door” on the missed day. As I constantly preach to the
Olympic level athletes I work with, stay logical and remind yourself that a day or two of missed running will not derail the goal you have set for yourself.
Speaking of thinking logically, don’t fret about losing all the hard work you’ve put in when life gets in the way and you miss a day or two of training. There are multiple studies out there that confirm that even with up to a week of inactivity, there is very little change in fitness. If an unscheduled day off occurs, simply remind yourself that all your hard work is not lost and pick up your training the next day.
Work on a weakness! If your day is crazy and it becomes clear that a run isn’t going to happen, commit to taking some time in the day to devote to a weakness you may have in your running. For me, if I miss a day of training, I will take 20 minutes during the evening news or while dinner is in the oven and work on flexibility. Some women will find a quick ab routine online to improve core strength. The day does not have to be a complete waste and the missed run may allow you to work on another aspect of fitness!
It’s never fun to miss a scheduled day of training, but life does happen! So stay positive, remind yourself of your big goals, and get back out there tomorrow!!
