Friday, August 28, 2015

Skipping A Workout

Say it ain't so...

If you know me, you know I am a list maker and a task cross-er off-er. If I have a workout on the calendar, I try my very, very, VERY darndest to get it done...

But today, well, today was a different story... We can't get ahead of ourselves though. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

For my August Abs challenge, I not only was doing TWO core strength challenges, but also threw in a squat challenge for the fun of it (the plank challenge had a squat challenge linked with it, so if one challenge is good, then three must be GREAT, right?!). And while I was at it, I decided to do as many calf raises as squats a day too...


Okay, so you probably know where this is going, right? Truth be told, I think I might have over done it. Shocking, I know. On Wednesday, I had 220 squats (and calf raises). Everything seemed hunky-dory while I was doing them, but Thursday morning I woke up to a funky pain in my left knee and what felt like a knot in my left hamstring. {Don't worry, since then I have opted out of my squat challenge...}

Yesterday's workout was a 7 mile run (thankfully NOT at my marathon pace), so I tried it out and took it easy. It honestly took about 2 miles for the wonky knee pain to go away and another mile for some of the other aches (like in my shins) to stop, but overall my hamstring still felt tight (and my body was just overall sore).


I have been foam rolling the crap out of my hamstring (along with using a lacrosse ball and a heating pad), but I woke up this morning and it didn't feel 100%. I had a 15-miler on the calendar for today and wasn't sure what I should do what I was going to do.

As luck would have it, I woke up around 2:30am to go to the bathroom (darn you small bladder!), and when it didn't feel great at that point I took to social media. I guess I was hoping people would say "push through it", "you'll be fine", but the resounding response was "TAKE A BREAK".

Source

Although my hamstring is probably singing praises to those "smart runners" who are reminding me to listen to my body, my runner's mentality is shaking my fist and biting my thumb at you!

Source

I mean, I hate, hateHATE missing a workout, ESPECIALLY a long run, but at this point, I think I probably should take an extra rest day (I mean I have two races next weekend, and although I am not running them for a specific time, I don't want to be hobbling around Disneyland - that does NOT go with my costumes!).

But, if truth be told, I should probably tell you that I was thinking about potentially jumping on the treadmill this afternoon for a few miles if the hammy starts feeling better by then. Also, I noticed that Sunday I don't have to work and only have a 4-miler on the calendar. There is a possibility that I may swap today's long run and Sunday's short run (meaning I would have "only" missed a 4 mile run) and do my 15-miler then if my body is feeling up for it.

Please hear me out - I am doing my bestest to listen to my body, but sometimes it is TOUGH! I would NEVER want to do anything to bring more pain or any type of damage to my body, but at the same time I want to make sure I am giving my training my all and not just taking the easy way out when things get hard. I know in the grand scheme of things missing or rearranging one run will not make or break my training, but, man, it sucks in the meantime.

What are your thoughts about skipping a workout? Do you try and "make it up" or just forget about it and move on?

7 comments:

Ange @ Cowgirl Runs said...

I'd always rather skip a workout and be able to run my race, than push through and not be able to run.
I also operate on the 1 full day pain-free if I'm taking a day off because of something bothering me. I spent a lot of time in physio in the spring because of tendinitis, so I tend to be a bit overly cautious.

Anonymous said...

I have been injured so many times, it realllllly sucks. There is a time when you push through it and there is a time when you take the day off. In regards to hamstrings, I think its best to play it safe. Those are dangerous to mess around with. I personally think there is nothing wrong with switching days. Or maybe even going 12 or even 10 over 15 miles. You'll still get some mileage in, but you're not overworking the hamstring. You have to remember its better to run easy and shorter than harder and longer on an injury because then you might not be running at all. That's what I would do. Its ok to stay a step back for a couple days as hard as it is.

Reese said...

So I just wrote a comment and lost it, ugh. Anyway, I've been there. Some friends started a plank and squat challenge and I was already running, biking, and just started PiYo. I had to drop the squats cause they were making me too sore for running.

The Silent Assassin said...

Rest. If you cannot rest and it drives you crazy, go for a relaxing swim or get on a stationery bike. But if I was your coach, I'd absolutely tell you to take the day completely off.

Lani (@armytbonegirl) said...

I have been seeing chiropractors for about 8 years and I LOVE them!! They are so beneficial. My current one, after feeling my neck, spine, and hips for about 3 minutes, told me everything that I feel when I run!

Anonymous said...

I am SO behind on my blog reading but glad I came in just in time to read this one. I have learned through SO MANY injuries that when your muscles are tight or tired or you just feel like you've been overdoing it maybe a smidge it is 100% the right idea to rest. Is it hard to take a day off when you think you're "supposed" to be training - yes. But think of your training plan as a guideline not a rule. It's written before it knows how your body is going to handle each and every thing thrown at it and you have no way of knowing how it's going to pan out. When you have to adjust the plan, don't think of it as skipping, think of it as adjusting to what life has thrown at you and it won't feel like such a bad thing!

Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes said...

First of all, I don't think this is about taking the easy way out. You know rest and recovery are just as important as your runs, especially when you are having discomfort. Take the rest, I would hate to see you injure yourself even more! You know you can do the mileage, REST!! ;)