Frustrated Friday- How to get through a bad week of training

We all have our ups and downs in running, in life, in everything but it is still tough when things don't go how we plan. Last week went great, running was wonderful despite being all on the treadmill thanks to cold and wind. Even with a busy weekend I managed to get in my workouts. Now fast forward to this week.


Monday: sleep won but I lifted after work
Tuesday: 1 mile repeats turned into a sluggish easy 6.5 mile run
Wednesday: lifted in morning and afternoon gave up on running after 3 miles which included 3 walk breaks. Yoga instead in hopes of refreshing.
Thursday: morning 10 mile tempo run turned into 7.5 miles at MP, started awful and got slightly better last 4 miles.
Friday: no running today, leg day
What now? Shake it off and learn, right? The good news this is a cutback week so lower mileage but after such a great week mentally this is tough. I know my body is telling me something but what?

  • Am I eating enough and the right foods
  • Am I sleeping enough
  • Am I resting/recovering
  • Drinking enough water
  • Am I just tried of the winter, dark days and treadmill running
I'm sure it is a combination of many factors: Tuesday is always a long work day and fueling for the evening run is tough. This is a recovery week so I'm taking the bad runs for what they are and not focusing on them. Next week will be better, I'm letting my body rest and recover. What am I going to do different?
  • I'm rethinking my evening run fuel plan and trying UCAN 
  • Increasing intake to 3 meals (300-400 cal) and 3 snacks (150-200 cal)
  • Trying to get to bed a little earlier (bedtime has been creeping later the past few weeks
  • Most of all I will be getting outside! 50s in the forecast for next week!! I'm a little too excited about this! Even the 30s for my Saturday long run have me smiling already.
How do you get through a bad week (or weeks) of running? Despite the rough week I am thrilled that I remain pain free other than the normal sore muscles. 

Linking up with Jill for Fitness Friday Any fun weekend plans?

Don't forget to enter my Hemp Hearts Giveaway




Comments

  1. Mommy Run FastMarch 6, 2015 at 10:58 AM

    Ugh, yes. Sounds like my week. I'm fighting some kind of cold and just not feeling it. Hopefully we're both back to normal soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KelliMarch 6, 2015 at 3:37 PM

    Does your training plan have build weeks and recovery weeks? Maybe your body is telling you it needs a recovery week - either due to stress or hormone fluctuations or fighting of an infection. I've had a similar week although I have a cold and it is more obviously explainable. Hope you get your mojo back soon! One week will not make a difference - especially since you've still been training, even thought your workouts didn't meet your own expectations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach JenMarch 6, 2015 at 4:25 PM

      Yep this is a recovery week so I'm taking the poor week lightly since my biggest week in months was last week!

      Delete
  3. Deborah BrooksMarch 6, 2015 at 4:04 PM

    I'd be interested to hear whether you like ucan. I've never tried it! Some weeks your body just needs more rest than others. Hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach JenMarch 6, 2015 at 4:24 PM

      I've been using UCAN for 2 years and love it. I only use before long runs

      Delete
  4. jillconyersMarch 7, 2015 at 1:55 AM

    Pain free is awesome! When I have a bad week I seem to always look for the why. So many times it's not fueling properly. What is UCAN?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach JenMarch 8, 2015 at 11:48 AM

      UCAN is awesome! Slow release starch that teaches body to fuel on fat. 1 serving lasts 2 hours so no gels during anymore. There isn't a sugar spike and crash and only fuel that doesn't cause me gi issues

      Delete
  5. Amy WMarch 7, 2015 at 8:59 AM

    That is definitely the truth and I have to remind myself of that often when training for races! Just getting out there for a run is a 'win'! When I have a bad week of running, taking a little extra time to roll out my legs and stretch helps. If I'm really burning out, I will swap out a running day for cross training or light strength training. Anything to switch it up mentally and physically.
    Amy @ http://www.livinglifetruth.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach JenMarch 9, 2015 at 9:56 AM

      That's right! Some runs are more mental training :)

      Delete
  6. cherelliMarch 8, 2015 at 10:47 PM

    if your biggest week in a long time was last week it could just mean your body needed you to scale it back a bit more for a full recovery? Not sure if that is an aging or nutrition thing but i certainly find i value my recovery times far more now than I did in my 20s!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coach JenMarch 9, 2015 at 9:55 AM

      I think this is part of it too! I used to run 6 days a week in my20s and feel great, but I also wasn't a mom then which adds to it as well. The low week was just what I needed

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GoMacro Thrive Review and Giveaway!

Image
All runners know that post marathon week(s) are filled with the fight to keep eating healthy yet indulge a little. I try to carry healthy snacks wherever I go to avoid the munchies. Needing gluten free makes finding healthy foods quick even tougher. I have my go to foods but love finding new options with such variety. I think my only complaint is the carb to protein ratio which for each bar is 3 or 4:1. I prefer a snack more along the 2:1 carb to protein ratio. To help this I add a few extra nuts to the bars when I have them for a snack, problem solved! Like all GoMacro products, Thrive are USDA-Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Gluten-Free certified, 100% Vegan, and soy-free. Thrive is currently available to purchase online and will become available to Whole Foods this month! GoMacro is offering 30% off to all my readers with code Thrive30 for online purchases Here The Thrive Bars come in 6 flavors: Caramel Coconut, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, Blueberry
Read more

Turkey Day 5K

Image
We have run this "race" many times, through name and sponsor changes, course changes and nasty weather. This year I went into it with hopes of a PR considering the perfect weather, but I failed to think about the massive amounts of people who would decide to run now that it wouldn't be too cold. I'm not sure the exact numbers but there had to be well over 5000 people, many who had no clue how to line up for a race. I lost track of the extreme numbers of walkers, kids, strollers and dogs I passed after it took almost 10 minutes to cross the start line! I spent much of my time weaving and trying not to trip over dog leashes or people stopping in mid course. I pleased to hit Mile 1 with a 7:40, still 1 minute over where I hoped but I figured much slower given the conditions. I finally found a guy to follow who making a path through the course and was able to hold that pace with a little trail running through the downtown parks. I didn't care since it was Nove
Read more

A few Races...

Image
Stillwater half was my final pre-marathon race. The weather was a mess, hot humid and gross! I ran with the 1:40 pacer to keep a nice pace and actually held myself back the first haf but yikes then we turned to the road and no shade and it all faded! I struggled to keep the "easy" pace as did everyone around me. I was happy to finish just 45 secs behind the pacer 1:40:45 and not too far off my goal of 1:38. That heat was brutal... Photo credit Stillwater Gazette Grandmas Marathon  For those who don't follow me on IG  @marathonmom28  here is the short version... I started great, on pace to PR then I became hypothermic (yes in June) and once the rain started it was painful (thank you Raynaud's). I finally walked off the course between mile 19-20 where Matt met me with dry clothes and a warm car. Grandmas this is strike 3, I think I am done!  I spent the car ride home thinking of next races and wondering if I could jump back in, (dumb I know). As we drove
Read more