Archives // rest

Rest – Week Beginning 25th June

Saturday 30th June 2018

I take a rest day every week and have the piss taken out of me by my training group for it on a regular basis. One of the guys I train with recently ended a 10-month streak of running on consecutive days and another recently hit 6 months. I rarely exceed 6 days.

When one of them put it to me recently that I am missing out on 52 days of training every year I retorted by telling him he was missing out on 52 days of recovery. I really do believe this. A guaranteed day off every week ensures that I stay fresh mentally as I am never far from the next break, as well as giving the obvious benefits of proper physical recovery. I’m not running tomorrow morning and am happy with that.

My Week

Monday: AM 14km easy / PM 11km easy (25)

Tuesday: AM 9km easy / PM grass session 2*10*400 off 30s (25)

Wednesday: 17km easy (17)

Thursday: AM 8km easy / PM track session – 4 sets of (600 with barriers in lane 2 / 400 flat) – 1:48, 67, 1:47, 68, 1:48, 67, 1:50, 65 (20)

Friday: 15km easy (15)

Saturday: AM parkrun in 15:55, grass session 2*2:00 off 2:00, 6*1:00 off 1:00 / PM 8km easy (24)

Sunday: rest (0)

Rest – Week Beginning 02 April

Monday 9th April 2018

Last week I took my customary rest day on Sunday. To many, missing the Sunday long run is blasphemy, akin to not turning up to church (in a future post I may theorise about the similar roles that running and religion play in people’s lives but I am both typing this on a phone and desperately trying not to go off on a tangent) but I don’t care. I missed my long run this week but gained something more valuable, rest.

I’m away for a long weekend in the Lake District with my brother and dad celebrating his 60th birthday. My dad, that is, not my brother. With three heavy weeks of training banked and some races coming up I have taken the opportunity to enjoy a couple of easy days and to allow my body to absorb the training I have thrown at it in the hope that some of it sticks.

My Week

Monday: 16km easy (16)

Tuesday: AM 7km easy / PM track session 10*400 off 75 in 65-67, 4*200 off 200 jog (21)

Wednesday: AM 10km easy / PM 10km easy (20)

Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM track session 6*1000 off 200 jog in 2:57,57,56,56,58,56 (26)

Friday: AM 16km easy / PM 9km easy (25)

Saturday: parkrun in 15:30 (15)

Sunday: rest (0)

Training – Week Beginning 23 March

Sunday 29th March 2015

Five days off for some much needed recovery at the end of a few hard weeks of racing. I did turn up for the club at the 12 stage though. A couple of easy weeks now before I start proper training again.

Monday-Friday: rest

Saturday: AM 8km easy / PM Midlands 12 Stage, 16th on leg 1 (27)

Sunday: 21km moderate (21)

Taken from my training log.

Training – Week Beginning 14 April

Sunday 20th April 2014

Took a few days off running to shake off some fatigue and illness. Scenic run in the Lake District on Thursday.

Monday – Wednesday: no running, walking in Lake District (0)

Thursday: 18km easy (18)

Friday: 16km easy (16)

Saturday: Parkrun in 16:24 then 4 x 3 min off 1 min at 10k effort (19)

Sunday: 28km easy (28)

Week total: 81km

Training – Week Beginning 29 July

Sunday 4th August 2013

Nine runs in six days. Running doubles and taking one rest day per week is suiting me. The two track sessions were very tough but beneficial; I feel my endurance is improving with the half marathon now six weeks away.

Monday: AM 10km easy / PM 12km easy (22)

Tuesday: PM1 7km with Stephanie / PM2 2000 – 8×400 – 2000 off 3min/1min: 6:20, 71, 70, 70, 70, 68, 69, 71, 68, 6:18. Strides after (26)

Wednesday: 16km, first half with Stephanie (16)

Thursday: 16km moderate 65 mins, 14km easy (30)

Friday: 15km easy, 8km of which barefoot (15)

Saturday: AM 4x(1600/400) off 200: 5:09, 72, 5:07, 72, 5:05, 72, 5:01, 66 / PM 4km easy with Stephanie (22)

Sunday: Rest (0)

Week total: 131km