In the Meantime, I leave you with some pearls of wisdom. Read on brothas and sistas,
ENERGY CRISIS
When you're dragging, should you give up your run or try to pull through?
We all suffer the effects of exhaustion. Whether it's too much work, juggling school and adult life, or having to worry about your kids - it can catch up to you if you aren't careful. You have to ask yourself though, "Is it from stress or lack of sleep? Or is it muscular fatigue from too much training or too little recovery?" Depending on why you're feeling weary, you may be able to run through it, or you may want to postpone your workout. Here's kick-ass advice on how to train when you're mentally and physically drained—and when you should take a rest day.
I've been up late working and going for short runs at lunch. Should I be napping instead?
Umm. . . . . Maybe
Sleep deprivation, it's not just for soldiers anymore — if you're rockin less than seven hours per night on a regular basis— you could compromise your immune system, which means you could be more susceptible to getting sick or hurt, and it could take longer to recover from illness and injury, then I gotta make you chicken soup and ask you to be brave and show me your tiger-face!
Attempt any serious training, and you'll likely end up hurt or stymied by your lack of progress. However, an occasional halfhour run can help. An easy run could take the edge off your stress level and improve the quality of your sleep. I'll just need to know "How do you feel after you run—energized or worn out?"
-->If you're worn out, get some ZZZ's bitch, then resume training."
I was up all night with a sick kid/puppy (translation: watching skinimax until the wee hours). My training plan calls for intervals. Should I do them?
No stud, you're worn.
If you can rejigger your schedule, run easy and do the hard workout when you're better rested. If you can't, go ahead and do it. You'll get through the workout, but realize that the effort might seem greater than normal, as you kick yourself in the ass for staying up watching low-budget skin flicks with terrible plots and obtuse names.After a full night's rest your V02 volume is less than when you don't.
Huh?
It means that you'll have to use more energy and oxygen to perform at the same intensity, which is not beneficial for you or your proposed gains.
Since increasing my mileage, my legs feel like bricks. Should I fight it or take an extra rest day?
Oh no, are my little snookum's legs tired? Poor baby.
Some training soreness is normal, but if that dead-leg feeling is painful or persistent, you could be in danger of over-training. Be smart, be flexible, and customize your plan based on how your body feels. You might need an extra easy day after a hard session or to increase mileage more gradually. I recommend building your mileage for two or three weeks, then backing off for one week. Then the next week, you can go higher again. The recovery weeks allow the accumulated fatigue from training to diminish before undertaking a higher training load. Blam.
No stud, you're worn.
If you can rejigger your schedule, run easy and do the hard workout when you're better rested. If you can't, go ahead and do it. You'll get through the workout, but realize that the effort might seem greater than normal, as you kick yourself in the ass for staying up watching low-budget skin flicks with terrible plots and obtuse names.After a full night's rest your V02 volume is less than when you don't.
Huh?
It means that you'll have to use more energy and oxygen to perform at the same intensity, which is not beneficial for you or your proposed gains.
Since increasing my mileage, my legs feel like bricks. Should I fight it or take an extra rest day?
Oh no, are my little snookum's legs tired? Poor baby.
Some training soreness is normal, but if that dead-leg feeling is painful or persistent, you could be in danger of over-training. Be smart, be flexible, and customize your plan based on how your body feels. You might need an extra easy day after a hard session or to increase mileage more gradually. I recommend building your mileage for two or three weeks, then backing off for one week. Then the next week, you can go higher again. The recovery weeks allow the accumulated fatigue from training to diminish before undertaking a higher training load. Blam.
I'm six miles into a 20-miler, and I have nothing in the tank. Should I keep going or bag it?
Take it like a man!
If you're not feeling worse as you go, stick with it. Often you'll find you feel better on the second half. If you have to, stop, stretch, get a drink, and start again. If you're healthy and well-rested, the experience of pushing through a tough patch will give you race-day confidence. Before you go all GI JOE super-hero on me - if you're under the weather or sleep deprived, consider stopping and trying again when you're better prepared. Play it smart.
I've had an exhausting day and am supposed to run. Should I wait until the morning instead?
By "I've had an exhausting day", do you mean: I don't wanna take my ass of the couch because I'm now a level 22 on Call of Duty?
Just get moving, puta, and you'll likely feel energized within a mile or two. Soon your mind and body will be feeling better, and you'll be glad that you're out there. Unless you get hit by a MetroBus like that chick on Connecticut Ave.
If the thought of running several miles seems unimaginable, start small. Don't think that far ahead. Just put on your running shoes. After that, a run seems possible.
I have to talk myself into going for a run every day.
Talk louder, use your outdoor voice, champ.
Before doing that, please note that I (me, Manni) personally think that running everyday is not the best idea, breaks are good - Like when I went to Seattle for a month and forgot to tell my girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend: she got all worked up about some silly lack of communication or something, I wasn't really paying attention because Mythbusters was on).
Please, please, please - rule out physical causes like sleep deprivation and health issues (a lingering cold, low iron levels, the clap). If those issues aren't to blame, you're likely burned out. "Find a new trail, a different town, a place you've never been before to run, a buddy to jog hand-in-hand with. An athlete's motivation wanes from time to time, but that's no reason to take a week off. Or is it? I think it's good every once in a while to step away completely. When you resume training, you'll feel excited about it again. Not right now though, you had all winter to slack, you lazy sack.
Take it like a man!
If you're not feeling worse as you go, stick with it. Often you'll find you feel better on the second half. If you have to, stop, stretch, get a drink, and start again. If you're healthy and well-rested, the experience of pushing through a tough patch will give you race-day confidence. Before you go all GI JOE super-hero on me - if you're under the weather or sleep deprived, consider stopping and trying again when you're better prepared. Play it smart.
I've had an exhausting day and am supposed to run. Should I wait until the morning instead?
By "I've had an exhausting day", do you mean: I don't wanna take my ass of the couch because I'm now a level 22 on Call of Duty?
Just get moving, puta, and you'll likely feel energized within a mile or two. Soon your mind and body will be feeling better, and you'll be glad that you're out there. Unless you get hit by a MetroBus like that chick on Connecticut Ave.
If the thought of running several miles seems unimaginable, start small. Don't think that far ahead. Just put on your running shoes. After that, a run seems possible.
I have to talk myself into going for a run every day.
Talk louder, use your outdoor voice, champ.
Before doing that, please note that I (me, Manni) personally think that running everyday is not the best idea, breaks are good - Like when I went to Seattle for a month and forgot to tell my girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend: she got all worked up about some silly lack of communication or something, I wasn't really paying attention because Mythbusters was on).
Please, please, please - rule out physical causes like sleep deprivation and health issues (a lingering cold, low iron levels, the clap). If those issues aren't to blame, you're likely burned out. "Find a new trail, a different town, a place you've never been before to run, a buddy to jog hand-in-hand with. An athlete's motivation wanes from time to time, but that's no reason to take a week off. Or is it? I think it's good every once in a while to step away completely. When you resume training, you'll feel excited about it again. Not right now though, you had all winter to slack, you lazy sack.
Sick & Tired of bieng Sick & Tired . . . . . Tireless Training
---Tips of the trade---
Uno - Check Yourself before you wreck yourself
I can have the worst night's sleep and still hit my workout the next day. Still, if it's been several days in a row with a lack of sleep, or if I feel really fatigued, I'd consider skipping a workout.
Dos - Bank Sleep
Get adequate rest you silly monkey. Especially before a race, Days out from a race, I try to get to bed earlier than usual and try keeping it as a pattern until the race itself. Bank.
Tres - Perk Up
My head's fuzzy sometimes in the morning, even after a really good night's sleep. Coffee wakes me up (as does the smell of cocaine).
Cuatro - Slow your Roll
I don't go on supertechnical runs when I'm tired. I pick a route I can literally do in my sleep. Every bit counts.
Cinco - Get the F*ck Out!
The great outdoors, are just that - GREAT. Running outside in fresh air helps get me going. Get out of the house!
I freakin love you all,
-Manni
Thanks for the words of wisdom Manni! I definitely think it was in my body's best interest to take a few days off after the CB10. But, alas, it is now Wed and thus the training shall be reinstated... Glad to know that we have your support, not just in the crucial training, but also the crucial resting. You kick ass!
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