After training for a marathon followed quickly by the Dopey Challenge, I decided to keep training for a spring PR. Unfortunately, it resulted in a nasty sinus infection followed by a stinky race – leaving me quite defeated.
Even though my plan was to cut back on running for awhile, I made the ultimate choice to take a few weeks completely off from running. That’s right, 14 days without hitting the pavement once.
Was it hard? Sure. Was it nice? Yes. Was it what I needed? Absolutely.
I decided to compile the good and the bad of taking a running break, so if you are considering it – you can be prepared ahead of time!
The Good
I think the most exhilarating aspect of the running break was that it was a break! After a long string of races I was training for, it was nice to just take it easy. While I still kept active with various cross training and strength training exercises, it didn’t matter what the weather was. I didn’t have to get up early to beat the heat. I didn’t have to hit a certain mileage or pace each week. It was refreshing.
Another great side of the break was that it really opened up my other forms of fitness. I was able to get back into T25, which was great! I even got back on my spin bike – I forgot how much I loved it! I also increased the strength training, which I know will help with my training in the future. It was fun to add in quality fitness, and there are workouts I will be sure to add to my training plan. Even more exciting, I was able to do some workout DVDs with Brent!
While running works my body and legs, it was nice to see other areas of my body improve. Adding in strength training helped me to tone up my arms a bit. I was also able to work my legs a little harder, knowing I didn’t have a long run coming soon!
The Bad
The first week was great. I didn’t miss running at all. The second week, I started to get a little anxious. When running is such a big part of your life, it’s hard to take a break! I found myself looking forward to the day I could lace up my shoes again.
For some reason, taking a break from running made it easier to be lazy. I usually pushed through those feelings with other forms of exercise, but when I didn’t have a plan to follow, it was a lot easier to sleep in a little later or skip a workout after work. It appears I really do benefit from a training plan!
It also was really hard to see other runners on the pavement or see posts on social media! Even though I knew my body needed a break, there was always a part of me that wanted to be out running. I am planning on using the photos of those great runs from others as motivation when I got back on the road and into training mode.
While there were definitely pros and cons, I know that it was exactly what my body needed. I had been training for a very long time, so taking a break was necessary. After all, I’m about to put it through a lot in preparation for my fall races!
