Training Lessons from an Olympic Runner: Missed Training
After the 2016 Olympics in Rio, I was completely burnt out. Most athletes experience an emotional and mental let down after the Olympics, and I was no exception.
But there was still one more race my schedule - the 5th Avenue Road mile in NYC. I was so ready for a break, but instead of scratching out of the race, I did something new for me: I slacked in my training.
Like most goal-oriented runners, I’d always been pretty apprehensive about cutting back on my training. I would rest due to illness, or if a little ache or niggle popped up, but I would still stress about the missed training. (I knew that the occasional extra few days off were not going to hurt my fitness, but deep down, missed training still made me insecure.)
But in the 3 weeks between the Olympics and 5th Ave, I did the bare minimum. I cut every warmup and cool-down short. Long run was cut short. Over the course of those 3 weeks, 8 days were essentially off days, where I logged between 0 and 3 easy miles.
At the 5th Ave Mile, I set a personal best.
En route to a new mile PB
4:23 on the roads.
The Lesson
Consistency over weeks, months and years is what matters for fitness. Missing a few days of training or taking a week (or more!) off for vacation, an illness, or a busy time in life is not going to make you lose fitness.
Can I repeat that?
You will not lose fitness over a few days of missed training, or even weeks of reduced training.
Will you gain fitness? Probably not — but rest is more likely to improve performance than hurt it for runners who are already fit. There is no need to stress when life “interferes” with your training schedule.
What Doesn’t Work
Runners who stop all workouts, strides, and intensity for weeks at a time will lose fitness.
Runners who regularly take several days off at a time will struggle to build fitness in the first place. Consistent training is key!
Related: Running Strides: What they’re for and when to run them
Several DAYS of No Training
Maybe you’re skeptical. Maybe you’ve taken a few days completely off and felt terrible upon returning to training. But let’s make the distinction between loss of momentum and rhythm in your training and loss of fitness.
Runners who take several consecutive days off completely will likely not lose fitness. However, we won’t feel sharp when returning to training. Our bodies respond to stimulus and if suddenly that stimulus is taken away, we will feel the effects. The legs probably won’t feel good. But this is not due to loss of fitness.
Even one short run plus some snappy strides does wonders to bridge a short training hiatus (as opposed to doing nothing for a few days). This will provide stimulus for the body and greatly help to avoid feeling flat/stale/unfit when resuming normal training load. (This strategy is not recommended if illness is the reason for the break. Complete rest is better.)
Several WEEKS of Reduced Training
In order to maintain fitness through longer term training reductions (multiple weeks) it’s important to continue touching on a variety of efforts and intensities. Days off and easy jogs won’t cut it.
For example, in the 3 weeks leading up to the 5th Ave Mile I still ran workouts. They were short yet challenging workouts which provided the necessary stimulus so that on race day my legs felt good and race pace was still a familiar pace.
To stay sharp and maintain fitness while barely training:
Continue doing strides (quality, snappy strides!) 1-2 times per week.
Incorporate a bit of moderate effort running (don’t let it all be easy pace)
Keep doing workouts even if they are much shorter than usual workouts. Make sure to touch on the same level of intensity (effort) you otherwise would even if it’s less volume at that intensity.
For those who do strength training, don’t drop it completely. Aim for at least half the number of sessions you’d normally do. In those sessions, preserve load (your typical max weight) and instead reduce number of sets and reps.
Don’t take my word for it!
Read: What’s the Minimum Dose of Training to Stay Fit? by Alex Hutchinson
Note: Of course, maintaining fitness through a break in training isn’t always the goal. These suggestions are intended for runners who want to maintain fitness for a specific upcoming performance - not to bridge the gap between racing seasons.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.