Taking time off from running when you are in the Sun Run training program is not the easiest thing to do. There is the focus, the guilt and the commitment to your running buddies. However there is also no need to be a slave to the plan. Expect the plan to change and allow for some flexibility when “the fatigue factor” starts to set in.
Not all bodies are built the same and our bodies need time to recover from the physical stress of running. The principle behind training in any sport is to improve your performance level and this comes mostly through the recovery periods. The simple explanation is that your body, both muscles and other vital body systems can only take so much. Once your body has reached its limit, fatigue sets in and if you do not stop, your body will start to break down.
The best way to avoid a fatigue induced breakdown is to take one or two days off from running every week. If you don’t you may end up burning out or risking an injury in which case the choice will have been made for you.
See the Sun Run Video Series for some excellent fatigue fighting recovery tips.
Tilman von der Linde, RMT.
Muscles in Motion – Vancouver
