Smaller By The Day
So, I was at my local running store today, and they were talking about about how I've become a fixture at the store. I buy everything there, and I let them know that I'd be looking at shoes again next month. They started asking about training, and mileage, and my weight loss. Then, one of the employees made an odd suggestion.
He explained to me that he thought I should try taking an entire week off from running. I explained that I would go nuts, and that I feel really good and strong. He still insisted that with the weight loss, and the solid training and mileage, I would look and feel like a completely different person after a week off.
I feel like I already feel and look like a different person...lol Is there any merit to what this guy is telling me? I mean, I plan to take a week or two off after my marathon in November, but a week off right now? That seems odd to me. There are always 12 different opinions on anything running related, but you guys haven't let me down yet. So, I thought I'd throw this one out there.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
Connoisseur of Cookies
What was the motivation behind the comment? Surely there must've been more besides "feeling like a completely different person". Different how?
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"C" is for cookie. That's good enough for me.
Healed Hammy
No, do not take a week off. You are some 10-12 weeks out from your marathon, just at the beginning of the real meat of your training program. Taking a week off now would put a serious crimp in your training for November. Tell him thanks for the compliment but in the future just let you know about upcoming sales that he would feel really good about.
Hip Redux
There are a number of good reasons to take a week off. To "feel like a different person" though? Sounds like mumbo jumbo IMO.
The only time I have taken that much time off from running was after both of my marathons (7 & 6 days respectively), or when I was injured.
I recently took four days off due to life getting in the way and was no worse or no better off.
I did feel like a new person however, when I took a week off from work and ran 6 of the 7 days!
I disagree that missing a week would put a "serious crimp" in your training. I essentially took a week off when my family went to Disney in mid-August while I was training for my first marathon in early November and I doubt it made any measurable difference in my performance. Still, if you are in the middle of marathon training, I see no reason to just skip a week.
I think he may have a point in that newer runners, especially those who have had some success, tend to go overboard and get hurt. Been there, done that. Moreover, I have never had an injury gradually come on. It's never from "not listening to my body." Instead, things are going great and then I'm hurt. Still, almost every injury I have had is easily traceable to pushing my limits over and over. Now, I take a longer term view and one of my primary goals this year was to remain uninjured. It's only August but I've been successful thus far. The occasional week off can allow your body to recover from all of the training stress you've been putting on it.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
The more substantial your base the less effect, and potential benefit, the week off will have. I just came off three 90 mile weeks and a 66 mile week. Then I had my mini-stroke two days later. Obviously didn't run that day or the two I was on the brain / stroke floor, nor the day I was released or the day following. Walked a mile on the TM the next day and 1 mile [11:30 pace] that evening. The next three days my runs felt great and one week after my stroke I ran my fastest time for my 8 mile loop - without pushing it.
What does that tell you?
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
Thanks guys. I thought it was a bit odd, but figured that I'd draw on the experience of others. I'm sure that he had good intentions, but then again, I was told after my first HM that I was faster than the owner. So, some folks there might take a bit of a conservative approach. There are a couple of very competitive female runners that work there, but weren't there tonight. I have a feeling that there advice might have been a bit different...lol The last time I got advice from one of them it was to run faster. HA
Sounds similar to the effect of a taper, and that makes sense. I'm just not sure it's something I'd want to do right in the middle of training, unless I have a reason. I am taking a long weekend to head out to South Dakota in September. I might miss a run or two that week. I don't know. I'm not sure I could bring myself to just stop for a week unless I was having an issue, or someone could tell me, "Hey, this is going to benefit your marathon".
The more substantial your base the less effect, and potential benefit, the week off will have. I just came off three 90 mile weeks and a 66 mile week. Then I had my mini-stroke two days later. Obviously didn't run that day or the two I was on the brain / stroke floor, nor the day I was released or the day following. Walked a mile on the TM the next day and 1 mile [11:30 pace] that evening. The next three days my runs felt great and one week after my stroke I ran my fastest time for my 8 mile loop - without pushing it. What does that tell you?
That is an odd suggestion. I just wonder if you mentioned having an injury issue. The only time I ever took off consecutive days (let alone a week) training for 26.2 was when I was either sick, or tweaked something.
Are we there, yet?
Unless you said something to trigger the comments like being tired or struggling in some of your workouts, taking time off now makes no sense. Taking time off after a marathon makes sense though it isn't necessary, and taking time off for vacation makes sense, otherwise unless your training is suffering I can't see why the comment was made.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Aren't you streaking and not taking SRDs? Maybe the guy thought telling you to take a week off to mean that you need a break from time to time so you have any issues.
Damaris
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If I was struggling, tired or injured, I would have mentioned it here before I would have mentioned it at the LRS. I was just buying some body glide, and hammer gel. As for streaking, I'd say it is an unintentional streak. Like tomorrow is Sunday, and I don't really need the miles. Yet, what else is there to do on Sunday? A 30 minute recovery run sounds good...lol
I almost think that he gets the impression that I'm running to lose weight. That may have been the case a year ago. Now, I'm losing weight to benefit my running. I'm not even sure that he knows I'm training for a race.
The guys who work in those running stores are not always that knowledgeable... I have taken many weeks off since I started running 5 years ago. I took complete weeks off after maybe half of my 11 marathons, because I was on vacation and I felt I bloody well deserved a rest. Those weeks off affected my running in no way at all. In fact, they probably did me some good. But it was me WANTING to take the time off. When the mind wants a rest, it is as important to listen to it as when the body requires it. But if you feel good physically and mentally, why stop running?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Maybe he is one of those runners that runs low miles and cannot fathom how much training you do. He probably can guess your training by how much weight you have lost. I thought he would know about the streak and said something due to that because not everybody gets the streak. Ha.
If I was struggling, tired or injured, I would have mentioned it here before I would have mentioned it at the LRS. I was just buying some body glide, and hammer gel. As for streaking, I'd say it is an unintentional streak. Like tomorrow is Sunday, and I don't really need the miles. Yet, what else is there to do on Sunday? A 30 minute recovery run sounds good...lol I almost think that he gets the impression that I'm running to lose weight. That may have been the case a year ago. Now, I'm losing weight to benefit my running. I'm not even sure that he knows I'm training for a race.