When life gets in the way...

kristafb

I need a little advice. I'm due to do w3d2 tomorrow, I do my runs every 2nd day. Until now I've been on vacation and it hasn't been an issue but tomorrow I go back to work, start at 5am, work 12 mentally exhausting hours (I'm a police dispatcher) and when I get home I'm often so tired I can barely walk the dog let alone run. My schedule is 2 days, then 2 nights, so heres my question: Is it better to do 2 days back to back, doing my run today while I'm still off, or skip a couple of days and do it the morning of my first night shift. I thinking of doing it today but I don't want to over do it, I've had foot/ ankle injuries in the past and am prone to shin splints. But I'm worried if I wait until Monday (3 days away) that I'll lose my momentum.

What would you do? run today or monday?

ScrAgnX

Just reviewed what I wrote below, and it sounds harsh. Please know I'm not trying to be callous, but helpful.

I let my 3 hours commuting + 10 hours working, 5½ days per week, get in the way of my fitness for 2½years. It's hard to commit to a full time job and exercise, but it can be done. You just have to decide your priorities and make them happen.

I sacrificed tv time, began making my meals ahead of time, and the house isn't as clean during the week. I've done all I can to streamline my workday evenings do when I get home I can do the next day of C25K, or go for a bike ride.

When things still get in the way I take an extra rest day, and try to get exercise in little ways if possible. I wouldn't do two days of running back to back because a big part of the program is strengthening joints, ligaments/tendons, and supporting muscles.

For too long I looked at the problem and asked "why can't it work," and now I'm making myself look and say "how can it work." If you want it, you can do it.

ftrobbie

kristafb wrote: »

I need a little advice. ......

What would you do? run today or monday?

If you really cannot organise yourself to keep the run, rest, run, rest, run, rest, rest routine, I would tend to do a run at the start of your 2 days off and do the other at the end. So early am day 1 and late pm day 2. Just try and get as much rest as you can between the 2.

Good luck

kristafb

Thanks for the replies. If I can get up at 330 am tomorrow I might do my run then, depends on how much sleep I can get tonight. I've really noticed that being tired really wrecks havoc on my run. I'll play it by ear for now. I really want to stick to the schedule though.

ftrobbie

kristafb wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. If I can get up at 330 am tomorrow I might do my run then, depends on how much sleep I can get tonight. I've really noticed that being tired really wrecks havoc on my run. I'll play it by ear for now. I really want to stick to the schedule though.

Good luck, but remember to enjoy it, don't treat it as a task, otherwise it will become one.

DaveAkeman

I, too, have a mentally exhausting job. (Although probably not quite as hectic as yours must be sometimes) On bad days, I find that I really look forward to the "down time" I get while running. In fact, I got upset last week when I spent most of the day looking forward to an evening run, then when I got home I found out that my family had different plans . . . (I ended up running, but late at night, instead of in the nice evening weather like I wanted)

To answer your question, though, I would tend to think that you should do at least 3 runs a week, even if that means you've got to do 2 of them on the SAME DAY. It's not ideal, certainly, but, like you said . . . "life gets in the way".