Question about sticking to running schedule -- sick during long run... what now? (Read 1012 times)

Today was supposed to be a PR for distance, 3.5 miles. We've been doing the short runs alternate with long runs thing, it's working very well for us. Unfortunately my body just wasn't cooperating today. My legs and heart had it in me and I am 100% certain on a healthy day I would have made it, but at 2.8 I got sick to my stomach and had to quit. I think it's just cramps, which for me is never ''just'' anything more than sudden excruciating pain and the need to IMMEDIATELY use the rest-room. I say that because I've had to quit due to overexertion before, but I've fixed that problem, this was NOT overexertion, it was just my body being a PIA. I wanted to finish with all my heart. I stopped running, walked for about twenty seconds, and tried to run again, but immediately felt sick again. Believe me, I was HTFU just to be on the trail in the first place-- but I was also really like not going to be stupid. So my question is what to do now. Obviously that was sort of a longish run for me, but it wasn't the 3.5 it was supposed to be. Should I rest a day and try again on Sunday? Or should I pretend that was the scheduled 3.5 and move along to the next week? Or should I repeat this week next week? (The latter would be my least favorite option as I'm already repeating a week due to running the 5K last weekend.) I'm just trying to figure out what you're supposed to do when you screw up your long run, but sort of almost make it.

2 things: Don't worry so much about what you have scheduled. If you don't have it on the day, you don't have it on the day. What's the difference between 2.8 and 3.5? you realize you're stressing about 1200m. Not really going to make that much difference in the long run, just keep doing workouts. Keep it up

Don't sweat over one run cut short. I often have pit-stops but am able to keep running, but not all days. I have found the closer I watch my diet the better my runs go. I have found that diary, chocolate, and any processed junk like chips really affects my pitstops. Luckily though, I've ran about 40 races and not had a pitstop at one of them. (I do take Immodium A.D. before my marathons.) Good Luck!

Some days are better than others. Fortunately there are several hundred days a year! The good runs more than make up for the bad days. Tom

In response to what I think was your original question, if I miss one day or cut a run short I just move on with the schedule as if I had completed the run. If your schedule is accelerating so hard that missing one run would derail you, then the schedule is too aggressive anyway. If I miss 2-3 days I will often ramp back to my original schedule. (i.e. not jump back in but ramp up my training over a period of ~ 7 days until I am caught up) this is usually not because of any "fitness" loss but because if I missed 3 days its because I was sick and I want to ease back in If I miss 4+ days due to illness then I will consider adjusting my schedule, depends on where I am and what I am training for. I build a lot of repetition in my schedule so that missing a week is of little consequence.

I've had only one truly unpleasant run in the last year. I thought I was fatigued (and lazy...) so I HTFUed and headed out for a five mile out and back. Right around the halfway point I figured out that I was actually feverish and ill. That two and a half mile trip home was really miserable but did teach a valuable lesson. When I'm not feeling 100% now, I run a short loop near home or head for the track. That way I'm never far from home or the car if I decide to break off the run. I also find that I'm more comfortable pushing through rough stretches, knowing that I can easily break it off if HTFUing doesn't work. The good news is that I've recently begun using this technique for good runs as well. When I get home feeling strong, I've been adding one to three laps around the block to my scheduled run. It's exactly half a mile and as long as I'm feeling good I just go around again. No worries if I tire suddenly, I can either slow down or just walk it in. If you're really in this for the long run* cutting a run off occasionally won't have an impact on the big picture. Just keep doing what you're doing. *pun intended

I totally felt guilty for not finishing

Don't ever feel guilty for not finishing......a few years ago Bill Rogers was washed up and laying in a Medical Tent at the Boston Marathon...later he joked about it (I know you are kind of young - so if you don't know who Bill Rogers is, let me know and Ill explain - or google bill rogers - and you will probably understand)........there will be plenty of times you get started and it 'just doesnt work'..... These days are your body telling you something.......so make sure that you listen...... One think I do sometimes - I have a one mile circle that starts and ends from my house (I will just do a few laps sometimes)...so I can do it on 'questionable' days....and that way if I want to stop, I can do so pretty easily....