Happy Sunday!
I’m currently skipping my long run (the first one of half marathon training!) and writing this post instead. I planned to meet a friend for the run this morning but I had to cancel on her because I woke up with some soreness from yesterday’s 5K race at the spot where my achilles tendon and calf muscle attach. This is an area on me that tends to get strained very easily (and the reason why I often wear compression sleeves for long runs) so I knew the smart thing to do was rest today and wait and do the run tomorrow rather than push it and end up sidelined for a couple of weeks.
One thing that I’ve learned in my years of running, running injuries and learning to listen to my body is to be flexible with my training plan. Am I bummed to miss my first long run today and the chance to run with one of my favorite running buddies? Yes. Was it worth it to run and risk an injury? Absolutely not. I also skipped this week’s tempo run in favor of easy miles because I knew I’d be racing the 5K on Saturday. Overall, my body felt super great this week and all of my runs and strength workouts went well and my yoga practice felt very nice as well. I want to keep that going so I knew rest was key today!
While I do take my training plans seriously, I also take into account how I’m feeling. Had I just been running on tired legs today, I probably would have pushed through but I knew the smart thing for me to do was hold off on the run and give my body a day of rest. So that’s my tidbit of advice for you this morning!
This Week’s Meal Plan
Sunday
Sriracha lime salmon with glazed Chinese long beans and eggplant
Monday
Chorizo, shishito pepper and sweet potato skillet topped with eggs (I’m going to make this one up as I go)
Tuesday
Whole roast chicken with farmers market veggies
Wednesday
Wild mushroom risotto with a side salad
Thursday
Pesto meatballs with fresh corn polenta
Friday
TBD
Saturday
TBD
(Zoey after our Tuesday run…check out that tongue!)
Last Week’s Workouts
Monday
500 meter row then…
21-15-9 back squats (95#) and kipping pull ups
500 meter row then…
21-15-9 power cleans (75#) and strict push ups
500 meter row then…
21-15-9 romanian dead lifts (75#) and burpees
21-15-9 overhead plate walking lunges (25# plate) and sit ups (ran out of time for the row…had to run off to teach!)
Tuesday
4 mile easy run with Zoey + hot yoga
Wednesday
3 mile easy treadmill run + strength
3 rounds…
15 bench press (65#)
15 pull ups (machine, lightest assistance, neutral grip)
30 split squat jumps
3 rounds…
15 biceps curls
15 tricep cable tricep press downs
20 resistance band two-step side shuffles
20 alternating kettlebell squats and jump squats (I’ll share this exercise with you in a future post)
Then I did another three rounds of something with kettlebell deadlifts in the mix but I can’t remember so oh well! 🙂
Thursday
Hot yoga
Friday
2 mile easy treadmill run + tabata/HIIT
Tabata #1
Battle ropes, 8 rounds
Tabata #2
Mountain climbers and bicycle crunches, 4 rounds of each, alternating
Tabata #3
Kettlebell swings, 8 rounds
Tabata #4
Push ups and burpees, 4 rounds of each, alternating
HIIT
5 rounds of one sled push down and back with 20 sit ups between for recovery
Saturday
5K race
Sunday
REST (skipping long run)
How do you know when to skip a workout or run? Is it easy or hard for you mentally to do it?
What’s on your meal plan this week?
My honest answer is 50% of the time I skip the run if I’m feeling slight pain… But 50% of the time I convince myself it’s fine and run anyways! Sometimes it all works out but oftentimes it’s definitely not the right choice to run anyways. Why don’t I ever learn???
If I wake up psyched for my run I will go. If I wake up and I’m iffy about it, I will change it up to a circuit workout. Run around the block which is .67 of a mile, jump rope 100x, then 10 walking lunges. I repeat 5 to 6 times. Takes about 45 minutes. So I get a run in without having to run the consistent pace my body wasn’t feeling.
I love your strength breakdowns. Curious what do you do with tabata & the rope? I haven’t used the rope in a while and I’d love to use your idea. Just meal planned & did my weekly prep. Trying weelicious’ one pot chicken this week, hopefully it’s yummy.
Great advice! I’ve learned a lot more with more running when to take a break and ease off. I did it this week getting over a cold – sometimes working out makes me feel better but I was already so exhausted I knew it wouldn’t help! Thinking about the bigger picture certainly helps too – not worth injuring yourself and having to break for a couple weeks as you say above.
Good for you! It’s smart to skip a long run if you’re feeling tightness or pain. The worst thing you could do is push through and then pull something causing you to be out for a lot longer than 1 skipped run. I need to get better at doing this for myself!
Hi Jen. Long time reader, first time commenter. I defintutely listen to my body and skip/modify workout plans if need be. Currently I am training for my first 1/2 marathon! I looked for training programs on the web. It seemed a common recommendation to make sure that the day before and after a long run are rest days (or ‘relative rest days’). So I’ve been either doing light cross training, upper body strength, or easy runs no more than 4 miles before and/or after a long run day (preferably avoiding any running altogether). It has worked well for me in order to preserve my long run.
Do you bring water for Zoey on your run? If so, how do you go about doing it? Just asking because I want to start taking my lab running with me! Thanks:)
That Monday workout looks intense!! I have been doing more crossfit-style workouts lately and that one seems like its be great (but also hard!). Any tips on how to improve on kipping pull-ups? I have such a hard time getting enough of a kip so that I’m not pulling myself to the bar the entire second half of the movement.
I’ve been having pain in the same area near my Achilles. Do you have any specific stretches you do to help?? Nothing seems to be working for me and I am getting super frustrated!
Thank you so much for sharing your meal plans, I find them really helpful and inspiring. I’m going to (finally!) make Ina’s chicken tonight, just to change up how I usually roast.
Re skipping a workout, I usually show up as much as I can, paying fine attention to what’s going on, and then if it doesn’t seem to be easing over the next day or two I take time off (and just go for a longer walk that day, for e.g.).