Running: have you had to go backwards in your training?

LetsDoThis103

I am just looking for some good advice here. I successfully completed C25K, then I completed Bridge210K, by early July I was running about 6ish miles everyday, with lots of hills, in the park, I felt like a total champ! Then the bar exam came along, cue 3 weeks of (literally) sitting in a chair for 16 hours a day (minus the 3 minutes intervals when I would do crunches while I memorized law). Then... I was totally discouraged from running. I tried to go back, but I was having trouble doing any sustained running, it was sort of run, then walk a little, then run a little then walk a little-- not at all disciplined. I need goals and motivation to keep myself moving! So, I decided I would train for a half marathon. I did an online program, that didn't have the handy iphone app, and I just didn't have the motivation without the app (I felt so much more comfortable and motivated with the app, not sure why, maybe because it allowed me to just turn my brain off until it told me to stop running). Anyway, I was doing okay, but then, I had to go out of town for what amounted to about a month (two separate trips), and now... I feel like with my running I am at square one. I was able to work out a little on the trips, but not the disciplined, scheduled running that I was doing earlier in the summer and that was so great for me. Since I've been back, I've been trying to do runs (telling myself, okay, today 3.5 miles), and instead of just getting out there and running the whole thing, I keep stopping to walk when I get uncomfortable even though I KNOW I could keep going if I wanted to, and I don't have the daily motivation to get out there. I'm thinking of starting the bridge210K from the beginning. Has anyone done this or had a similar SLUMP? How did you get yourself out of the slump?

Thanks

Chrysy87

I have been through this. I completed the C25k and then got sick and took about 6 weeks off. When I tried to come back it was hard so I let life get in the way and didn't run all summer. I started the program over at about week 4 and completed it in about a month, skipping workouts here and there when it was feeling too easy. I also started running with a buddy which was exactly what I needed to get my butt out the door!

The hardest part honestly was just getting back to it. Once you do it's exciting how fast your body gets back into shape! I have been back into it for 2 months or so and am running farther and faster then I was when I stopped last time. Just have to start and the rest will follow.

Azdak

There are short-term and long-term components to conditioning. When you lay off, as you would imagine, the short-term adaptations decline fairly quickly, the long-term more slowly.

If you take off a month, then intially, yes, you will feel like crap, especially if you try to live up to the image of what you were doing before. The good thing is that those adaptations should also come back fairly quickly. The long-term erode more slowly, but also take longer to regain. If you have a number of longer-tem layoffs, followed by periods of less-quality, or intermittent training, you eventually get the double-whammy where you run into the erosion of both short-term and long-term adaptations.

It all comes back--if you can get back on a focused routine. Having been there and dropped back sometimes adds a psychological barrier as well.

I would drop back to a baseline that you know you can do--however low that is compared to what you were doing before. As you ramp back up, you might be able to skip some steps or speed up the increases.

The most important thing, I repeat, is to get back to something structured and focused. Since you seem to be goal-oriented, pick a goal--pick a race. If you can just get in some consistent training, you will bounce back.

LetsDoThis103

THANKS!

ixap

Yes, it's normal for that to happen when life gets busy.
Great advice from Azdak above -- just re-establish that routine / habit, and the fitness will bounce right back into place.

Both times I had a baby it was a big blow to try to start over and find myself 4-5 minutes slower per mile than "normal" and no endurance. But it wasn't truly starting over -- it all came back much faster than if I'd never done it before.