Do you take a yearly sabbatical from running? (Read 968 times)

Do you force yourself to take 2-3 week period of no running each year to give your legs a break from the pounding? Why I ask: I am considering aqua jogging for 2+ weeks after my marathon because I want to stay in shape but don't want to break down this winter from overuse. The smarter voice in my head says this is a wise thing to do, the rest of me wants to keep running.

I generally take a couple weeks recovery after the last summer race (like right now) to catch up with rest of life, get house / yard ready for winter, enjoy some hiking and/ or mtn biking (without caring how long, how high, how far) before we get too much snow (ok , 2 of the hikes were in snow), donate blood, etc. Some years I may do some really easy running during that time period, but this year I had a long buildup for my summer races, and we had a lot of rain, so I'm chillin' out for a couple weeks. I hike or bike when the sun's out. This is both a physical and mental break. Just about every periodization program I've seen either starts or ends with recovery of some sort. The one I'm looking at now has 1-4 wks for "recover, rest, rejuvenate." I'll also do a significant cutback in mid to late March (or during an icy period or whatever works) for 1 wk to shift from winter to more summer like running (shift from base to race prep), but I usually maintain some running in there. Go for it! Do some aqua jogging, hiking, whatever.

I started running about 5 years ago. I have been increasing my distance consistently since then. I have never taken more than a day or two off since I started. This year I had two injuries. This February I tore my calf muscle. I did eliptical training until I felt I could get back on it. Now I'm just recovering from runners knee. You can see the dip in mileage if you look at my log. I also ride my bicycle a bunch when the weather is good. I am wondering if taking a week or two off might be a good idea. I have a 10 mile race coming up in Nov. that I may not be ready for. I can tell by your picture that you're much younger than I am. If you're considering a break, maybe I should too. Don't you hate listening to the "smarter voice" in your head?

Real Life tends to dictate my sabbaticals for me. But theoretically, I think I probably would take 1-2 weeks off twice a year. I wouldn't sit on the couch for that time... I'd find something else cool to do. Like sea kayaking and surfing.... two things I'd like to do but rarely have time. I'd also like to do more snow skiing. But I have huge dread that I'm going to hurt myself doing this and screw up my running. Doing it on a running sabbatical probably wouldn't remove this dread so oh well.

Sugarloaf (VT),

Foul. And you're a Mainer, no excuse. The Loaf is in Maine. The Bush is in Vermont.

Do you force yourself to take 2-3 week period of no running each year to give your legs a break from the pounding? Why I ask: I am considering aqua jogging for 2+ weeks after my marathon because I want to stay in shape but don't want to break down this winter from overuse. The smarter voice in my head says this is a wise thing to do, the rest of me wants to keep running.

A recovery phase is necessary, whether you keep things light or you take time completely off. I spent a few years trying to take a full month off of running and concentrate on swimming and lifting, but I go too stir crazy and don't last that long anymore. There's something to be said to maintaining your fitness year-round, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take a month or two of easy workouts/cross training/gradually building back up before you begin your next base building phase.

I don't purposely do it but last Nov. when my mom was sick I took 4+ weeks off then when she died in July I took about 5 weeks off. Something always seems to happen that knocks me on my ass once a year. Here's to hoping 2009 doesn't have any of that crap.

I thought of taking December completely off, but I don't think I can do it. Instead, I'm planning on dropping down to 3 runs/ week - 1 will be outdoors on groomed trails, the other 2 will be on either an indoor track or treadmill. I'm looking forward to changing my focus to strength training for awhile, and also try to catch up to the bike bunny.