My posts have been scheduled the last few days and I haven’t commented on many blogs. I haven’t unpacked and I have been busy doing other things with my life…you know…like real life things. I want to write a recap of my vacation to New York City but honestly it was just nice family time. Not a lot went according to plan but it never does.
I guess I see how people struggle that take some time off from blogging. I mean my few days of scheduled posts don’t really count but so much has happened in the last week that I don’t even know where to begin to update you. Not that I really have a lot I’m just overwealmed of where to begin.
I’ll start with the running aspect since this is a running blog. I’ve missed the last 3 weeks of training posts but easy runs aren’t all that exciting. Last week I severely cut my miles (read I ran 31 miles) and I sat in a car, went out to eat and was a big pile of lazy.
| Monday: | Off |
| Tuesday: | Off |
| Wednesday: | 1.5 hour Cybex 100i |
| Thursday: | 5.4 Mile run with dad (10 min pace?) |
| Friday: | 15.4 Miles with Heather (how that happened…well I don’t know but it was fun and relaxing and at 6am) |
| Saturday: | 10.15 miles with my brother Matt and Dad in Sunken Meadow park near NYC |
| Sunday: | OFF (driving back to va) |
Total: 30 miles
Here is something that irritated me a little bit last week. I never publically announced I was taking a bunch of rest last week until later in the week…I didn’t really feel the need honestly. On Wednesday, I got two emails asking if I was injured or taking a “dailymile break”. If I was taking a dailymile break, that really wouldn’t be a big deal either. The fact that it was almost unheard of to take days off is sad and I think a lot of that stems from blogging mentality. When you take multiple days off you are training smart…you aren’t honoring your body and you aren’t Gods gift to the world and you certainly don’t need to try and give multiple reasons of your days off.
I took an easy week last week because I felt like it. It wasn’t hard and it was just as beneficial (if not more) than logging multiple high mileage easier running weeks. So that’s that.
I am starting a new training cycle this week.
Training for what?
Well that depends on June 1st and if I get into the New York City Marathon. (I know…if you didn’t know I actually applied for that)
If I do get it in I won’t do any serious training until Labor Day. My primary (and the hardest goal for me throughout summer training) is to remain injury free. So that’s that. If I can stay injury free through the Rock and Roll half marathon VA Beach then I’ll begin incorporating longer runs (and especially as it gets cooler).
I actually plan to race nearly every weekend (mostly 5ks) this summer. I’d like to get some nice speed workouts in and since I don’t do a lot of that by myself I think racing is my best bet. Plus, I get to see all my friends anyways so that wasn’t really every a question.
So I guess even if I do get into NYC, I won’t really worry about it until Labor Day. So there you go…my running is going smoothly for now.
Questions for you:
Do you take planned rest days?
For me, I don’t run when I don’t feel like it…which pretty much happens once every couple of weeks. Then every couple of months I’ll take a few days off. I don’t plan them though.
I take rest day a week and then one off day from running where I’ll cross-train instead.
I take days off when my body tells me to. The longer I run the more I am able to listen, to stay injury free.
I have been taking one day off over the weekends to just enjoy myself and it’s been pretty nice. Love that you got to run with your dad and Matt. And i love that you took that picture together haha
My rest days recently have been unplanned but usually they’re scheduled by my coach because that’s just the way it is. I don’t see anything wrong with talking about rest days on your blog and reasons for them and what not if you feel like it but it’s also strange that people would ask if you’re okay just because you aren’t logging miles. That seems a little over the top if you ask me…
The bloggers that harp on a single rest day or week are the ones that need them the most.
Um I haven’t seen you post on facebook for 15 minutes, ARE YOU OK??? ARE YOU TAKING A FACEBOOK BREAK.
Honestly I didn’t even notice you hadn’t posted. Whatever.
It’s because you are way to popular, have one million dailymile friends and don’t stalk me. I’m in rage because of it. Gee thanks.
I have had nothing worthwhile for facebook…I think I really did become a new person when I moved.
Mostly I just don’t run when I don’t feel like it, but coming off injury I am enforcing rest days.
Wait, you were in NYC?! Hope you and the fam had a great time! Part of smart training and training efficiently is recovering and resting. My coach schedules one rest day each week, plus we do have a recovery week every fourth week. (Like we’re recovering this week.) I’m totally in favor of taking rest days–they’re such a nice physical and mental break.
Just for the weekend, yes! Recovery weeks are always my favorite…last week was so glorious.
I usually take Fridays off completely, so yes, it’s planned. I’m actually taking this week off and doing only easy running or classes at the gym. Variety is the spice of life, and I’d rather honor my body now by taking a few days off to enjoy my PR than to jump right into marathon training and get hurt and not be able to complete future goals. You *have* to look at things in the long term in this sport.
I’m glad you had fun in NY and are doing job interviews, taking a few days off working out, etc. There’s always more to life than running and workouts and I’m glad some bloggers realize that :).
NYC Marathon woo hoo!! I can’t wait to hear if you get in 😀
As much as I hate them, I take them because I know I need the rest…and I always come back more ferocious! 😉
But when I take them fluctuates. It could be after 3 workouts or 10…it all depends on how the body is feeling. Nice post 🙂
Rest days are crucial for preventing injury, burnout, overtraining, and your overall well-being!
Do people seriously e-mail and ask you that if you don’t go on Dailymile? … Do people not have a life? Damn, I sit inside all day and I still am not addicted to social media that much. NYC MARATHON! WOO! Exciting and I’m glad you signed up because you’ll kill it! I’m happy for you 🙂
Our rest day is Monday, and then sometimes we take more if we need to.
Good luck, I hope you get into the marathon!! Very exciting!
I take a day off after a long run. It’s ok to take some time off from running. Wow! People must have missed you already after being gone from daily mile. 🙂
Goodluck with NYC Marathon. YOU are going to rock it!!! 🙂
Tell people to eff off, I can’t stand when people question my training/rest days. Do what you need to do. Um I miss running with you already. We seriously need to make a vacation plan, ASAP.
LOLL I love how people are so obsessive about your life. OMG no running talk on social media for three days SHE MUST BE INJURED. lolz lolz lolz. I agree, there’s so much chatter/weird mentality among bloggers about how “sacred” rest days are – and I get it, I think a lot of it stems from how difficult it is for some people to rest – I’ve totally been there. But yeah, rest days are nothing special, you just do it. I actually plan mine since I’m trying to be really conservative with surgery recovery, but I’m hoping as I progress I can be in-tune enough to just roll without a plan.
Well my lacking of reading blogs has result in my not knowing you were in NYC! Although you say it didn’t go according to plan, I do hope that it was a most fabulous time nonetheless!
And what the hell are you thinking here, not updating your life to me AT LEAST once per day?! Sarcasm to the max. But yes, I can see that a comment like that might come from the accepted fact that rest days are for the weak… not everyone shares this view of course and no one would ever out right say it. But the amount of workouts that occurs on blogs out there? Well goodness, I’m surprised more people have not simply fallen apart from the crap ton of training and not fueling enough
I’ve been focusing on taking rest days whenever I need them and listening to my body when it comes to exercise, which usually happens once or twice a week…and I try to take a full week off every 3-4 months. Seems to be working for me.
I started training for my first marathon this week, and my coach said she would always plan one total rest day into a training week. Rest is important, so I hope you enjoyed yours 🙂
Hollie how the hell are you going to be an inspirational blogger if you keep taking all those rest days? 😉
A thing that literally happened to me today while I was running was thinking about wanting to do another early morning run at the park and then remembering you wouldn’t be joining me and getting sad. Just FYI.
I just take some rest when I need it! I’m a big fan of super short runs instead of complete rest days, but I usually just do whatever I feel like. So, if I’m traveling and don’t run, oh well! If I’m tired or something is happening with the family and don’t run, oh well again! 🙂
P.S. I’m really excited for you to run a marathon!!
Saweeeet! That would be so dang cool if you got into the NYC Marathon!
I take an off day every week. My body needs it, and mentally it helps me push through when I don’t feel like running.
Taking rest days is what makes you stronger. When you work out, it creates little tears in your muscles, and resting lets them heal, which in turn, makes them bigger and stronger. It’s a fact, so don’t feel guilty and certainly don’t apologize for taking them. You’ll be healthier if you take them. I hardly ever run more than two days in a row anymore. 🙂
I always take two rest days but I don’t necessarily plan which days those will be. I think it’s important to rest. My runs always feel better because of them.
Sounds like we’re at similar places with our running. It’s kind of nice to know you have a little time before serious training begins– I always appreciate the mental break.
I laughed a little when I read people had taken the time to ask if you were injured just because you had a few days off. People really should stop reading into what other people do. Case in point our conversation about ordering salad yesterday. I am crossing my fingers that you get into NYC!!! That would be awesome! Honestly I used to plan my days off and call them rest days. Now I take a day when i want or when my schedule tells me to. And I stopped calling them rest days which allowed me to stop obsessing. I also don’t broadcast it because well no one should really care including me 😀
Wait, Hollie – why haven’t you tweeted in the last 5 minutes?!? DID YOU DIE?! 😉