Yup, it’s true….I took the last week off from running. Actually, I took the last week off from a lot of things. Since running the half marathon last Sunday all I wanted to do was run! Go figure!
My body was sore and exhausted from not only the half marathon but the last 12 weeks of constant training. My mind just wanted to run every day but each day I did my best to rest.
I started reading this book:
Johnny Miles: Nova Scotia’s Marathon King !
I cleaned the house, did lots of laundry – oh wait, that’s normal stuff I would do anyway.
I haven’t been sleeping well as little miss H is getting her 2nd year molars #AWESOME! And by didn’t sleep well, I didn’t sleep for more than 3 hours in a row per night, for the last week.
I painted my nails – oooooohhhhh … aaaaahhhhh! And ate ice cream with our girls 🙂
And, I may have eaten things I haven’t had in months (chips/m n m’s) and in a year+ (pop) a little too much:
I’m kinda okay with not running for 6 days in a row as I have a few minor injuries…at least I think they are minor:
- sprained big toe
- left shin pain (Posterior Shin Splints)
- left SI joint is pretty pissed off – but this is going on a month now.
About two weeks before the half my SI joint started bothering me again. Physio, massage, x-ray’s etc. have been booked and waiting to see the outcome. My massage therapist basically said that my whole left side of my body is out of whack and all these little injuries are triggered by the others. She couldn’t believe how tense all the muscles on my left side were compared to my right.
So, I rested. I thought a lot about running. I even took out my running gear Saturday in hopes of running once the girls went to bed. It just didn’t happen.
It’s a new week and I’ve got the BLT 5k on Saturday that I’m really looking forward to running. It’s with the TTPer’s (Timberlea Tundra Pounders) running group that I occasionally run with. It should be a good time and a fun run.
Beyond that 5k, I have nothing else on the schedule but would like to do a Santa Shuffle and New Year’s Resolution Run if they pop up in the local area. And…..I kinda want to find my next half to train for 😉
That’s it…..I’m hooked on the half now!
Good luck to all those running the PEI Marathon today!
Wish I was there to run, oh I mean…cheer you on 🙂
How many days do you take off after a half marathon?
Ever have to hold yourself back on rest days/rest periods?
Are you done racing or still have more to come this year?
PS – I have a contest / giveaway coming up for CANADIANS!
Piper's Run 
It is important to take time to rest, but you’re right. It is funny how you can’t wait for a break, and then as soon as you get one, all you want to do is go run!
You got it! Towards the end of my training all I wanted to do was run the half and have a break. Now that I have had a week off, all I wanted to do was run! Now to just break back into the running should be fun!
Glad that you are giving yourself a true and very well deserved break. Not only have your earned it, your body needs it! I think that regardless of the length of the race, etc, your body needs to be rewarded for hard work by an appropriate amount of rest. During marathon training, we don’t have to take as much time off after long runs as we would after a race because that is just it–we aren’t RACING them. But if we were? 1-2 days off, and a good week of light work. But every body is different!
Funny that I also JUST blogged about this! I’m running tomorrow for my first time post marathon last week, that’ll be 8 days off!! That’s crazy for me, but it’s felt really good, and I think it’s so good for your body to get to recover from a hard race. No more racing for me this year, but I’m excited to keep my base up and look for some fun spring races next year.
It’s hard to not run for a full week…but so worth it in the end. Good luck tomorrow!
A well deserved break!
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