The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running Injury-Free by Coach Damon Martin

Author:Coach Damon Martin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.

Time Off Whether You Need It or Not

In early June, I send out training programs for the college athletes I work with to follow over the summer. When they return in August, we really get things going and train hard until our racing begins in mid-September. At that point, we are in full-swing cross-country mode until the national meet in late November. This is a long time for young athletes to train hard without a break, so when the season ends, it’s time to stop, rest, and regroup before moving into indoor track later in the winter.

Do you need to take time off? Even if you’re not following a strenuous training or racing regimen and are just staying fit and focusing on good health, you do need some time off after several consecutive months of training. Once you’ve run several (if not every) days a week for a few months (five or six is my suggestion), take a transition period to let your body rest and revitalize.

During training phases, your body uses its stores of vitamins and mineralsand can approach depletion. Your muscles and joints get impacted every day when you train, and giving them some time off helps them return to normal before you start the process again. A rest period of one to two weeks gives you a chance to heal and regenerate naturally. If you train over several months in preparation for a big road race or possibly a marathon, it’s even more important to take time off and adjust your body back to an easy phase before you continue on your training path.

Another key part of taking a transition period is mental. I have seen runners who do too much for too long and get “runner’s burnout,” a dangerous phase for even the most die-hard runners. If you reach the point that running is no longer fun and more of a chore than a pleasure, you may find yourself wanting to hang up the shoes for good. Before you reach this state of mind, give yourself some time off. When you come back to running, you’ll have your old excitement and enthusiasm.

If you’re too stressed about your fitness level to take a complete break, consider some low-impact or moderate cross-training activities. Walking is a great alternative to running during the rest phase and still gets you outdoors and enjoying the scenery in your community.

When you return to running, start at about 50 percent of your highest volume before you began the rest cycle. Gradually increase your training time until you reach an adequate level of time/distance for your overall fitness and conditioning. Once you have been back at it for four to six weeks or more, add back some hard workouts or that local road race for a change of pace. Keep in mind that you won’t set a personal best, but you’ll be rested and ready for a little harder work. If you want to race for true competition, wait until you have returned to your full training mileage before toeing the line.

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