General Discussion Triathlon Talk » guilt in taking a day off? Rss Feed  
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2004-04-02 6:50 PM

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molto veloce mama
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Subject: guilt in taking a day off?
this week was my first 'officially' training (week one of following the 18 week training i'm trying to stick to). i planned to swim this morning, but my oldest daughter was sick today, so i didn't do anything. my first 'official' day off. i've seen a few other people talk about this and now i really understand. i swam and rode yesterday. this weeks totals aren't too shabby: R: 6 miles, S: 1.5 miles, B: 25+ miles...but i still feel guilty and sort of sad that i didn't get out to do anything today. sad because i don't want to loose my motivation, and sad because it was BEAUTIFUL here today. will i feel like this on every day off????

Edited by autumn 2004-04-02 6:53 PM


2004-04-02 7:11 PM
in reply to: #16215

Expert
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Princeton, MN
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
Autumn:
I had a "Crash Day" in the swimming pool today. I couldn't do half of what I had planned. I had no energy. So I had an enforced day off. It sucks. Its depressing and annoying. I wanted to bike or run instead but I thought if I haven't got the energy to do one sport then I won't have the energy to do the others. I know just how you feel. I feel just as guilty about my time off. Like you say it was such a beautiful day.

Ian
2004-04-02 7:33 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Elite
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Reno
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
How come when I take a day off I wind up doing some house project that is harder than training? Gardened and grouted today.....
2004-04-02 8:11 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Got Wahoo?
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San Antonio
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I don't know about you, but I find it very frustrating to take a day off. If it is unexpected and unscheduled, it throws my whole week off. I know the days off are for the best, but emotionally, so much is invested in my training, I don't deal with it well.
2004-04-02 9:12 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Veteran
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Columbus, GA
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I have had several of those days along the way and I have decided not to be too hard on myself. I think that sometimes your body decides that it needs the rest. I have decided to try to listen to that kind of input, as long as it doesn't sound suspiciously like laziness.

Next day get out and go for it. Usually once youo get over the hump of starting, there is energy to cruise!
2004-04-02 9:18 PM
in reply to: #16215

Champion
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Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I think your weekly totals look good Autumn...you deserve a day off. It'll keep you fresh and enthusiastic. I took one yesterday. When I do, the next day seems a bit harder to get back in the groove, but after that I feel rejuvenated!

Max


2004-04-03 5:04 PM
in reply to: #16215

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molto veloce mama
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Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
well, i'm glad i'm not alone in feeling like i did (not that i wish that feeling on others, its just good to know its normal).

swam today and did my best time since i started swimming a few weeks ago. i don't know if it was the day off as much as it was my high stress level this morning. i thought i lost my wallet, and was running around target like a chicken with its head cut off trying to find it. it has my pool pass in it...not to mention my cards, id, etc...and we're flying to vegas in 3 weeks, so losing my id now would be a bad idea. anyway, i was so stressed by the time i got to the pool (after finding said wallet and swim pass) that i had a little extra edge.

i think from now on i'll go a day off on saturday or sunday when my husband is home. like bootygirl, its hard to feel like its a day off when i'm carrying 50 lbs worth of children around in my arms, cleaning, gardening, etc.
2004-04-03 5:20 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Pro
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Broomfield, Colorado
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I hear you! As a parent, I've learned to be flexible (a major feat!) and try to make changes throughout the day. It is hard, but I then remember that my child is more important than my schedule and I try to readjust.

Looks like you were able to swim anyway! That is great! Days off are a good thing - they absolutely revitalize!
2004-04-03 8:53 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Veteran
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St. Catharines, Ontario
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
It is only three months until July and it is time for me to get my ass in gear and get out on some long hard bike rides. It's time for me to not miss workouts. Then I have all these people guilting me into not training making me do things because it is family and because I need to keep a few friends.
My next two Sundays are lost to family obligation. I work wacked out hours and am tired by the weekend. I want one day on the weekend to sleep all day and one day to train. Not one day to go somewhere out of a guilted obligation and then one day to train if I have the energy.
And Yes I would like some cheese with that whine.
2004-04-03 9:20 PM
in reply to: #16215

Extreme Veteran
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Fort Wayne, IN
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I hear ya, all of you for that matter. I have had to take 5 & 6 days off a couple of times do to work, family and friends. Such is the life of the average triathlete trying to do everything. The one thing I noticed is that even missing 6 days, I didn't really lose anything. The first day back always is good, the second day back is a little rough but by the third day I am in full swing. They become my rest week, although I wish I could do something during those times. Bottom line for me is, I am doing this to get in shape, look good, feel better and be there for my family and friends, not to win. Although that is hard for me, since I hate to lose, I have had to change the way I look at this or become single. I am having fun trying to swim and to add biking and running is just awesome. I am down 20lbs which is great and other than my IT band issue, feeling great. All this with time off when I didn't want it. Enjoy the time off, enjoy the family and friends, enjoy the gardening, enjoy the cutting of the grass. If I can't enjoy those things then this wouldn't all be worth it.
2004-04-03 9:28 PM
in reply to: #16215

Veteran
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Keller, TX
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?

never feel guilty about taking a day off.  remember that a day off isn't a bad thing. 

Personally, I think feeling guilty about taking a day off is a good thing.  It means you're focused on your training and you are serious about it.  I feel guilty about missing training, but I don't get depressed about it - does that make sense?  Guilt good, depression, bad.

If you start taking days off and eating hot wings and drinking beer, and you start looking forward to it, you probably have a training issue.  Otherwise, enjoy the time away from the workout.

TB



2004-04-04 11:11 AM
in reply to: #16215

Member
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Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I am bummed out because I got the flu on friday. Knock me out for the weekend and Monday and Tuesday are washouts because of Passover. No training plus eating real well. Yeah Right. So much food on those two nights I am getting full just thinking about it. I am looking foward to wednesday.

But I have this question. Wednesday is a fairly light day on the schedule. Just a bike ride. But I am inclined to do more. What do y'all think? Stick to the schedule or add a bit to make up for time lost?

Thanks
2004-04-04 3:42 PM
in reply to: #16353

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Got Wahoo?
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San Antonio
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I say stick to your schedule. If you have been sick, it might be best to see where your body the day after the slow day.
2004-04-04 6:16 PM
in reply to: #16221

Member
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wolcott,ct
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
i look fwd to my day that i plan to take off because i have learned that is when you grow.i agree that unplanned days off are adrag but w/ family and work sometimes it can't be avoided.plus i look at it this way i have already taken alot more days than i should have being so inactive for so long. soone or two days isn't going to stop my progress.
2004-04-05 3:05 PM
in reply to: #16215

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South Orange, NJ
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I totally sympathize. I generally hate to take a day off (guilt, guilt, guilt) and have had to a few times over the last several weeks. Last week it was to find a new car. The wife is also generally getting a bit peeved about all the time I'm spending. I think it was just a bad day and she got pissed. I have other things in life, and I need to be ok with the fact that they will rear their ugly head from time to time. I try to use my home treadmill as a backup, at least a 1/2 hour would make me feel better. This weekend when the wife was pissed I took the afternoon to chop some wood and doing some yard work, but still didn't feel that I had accomplished WHAT I WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH. This is important to me, so I climbed on the bike @ 5:00 and pedaled into the wind for 53 minutes and 11 1/2 miles! YEAH, I felt GREAT! And remotivated!

It's hard to remember that there is a whole life going on, not just training for a single race (at least it was going to be a single race, now its a 5k next weekend, and 30mi Tour de Cure in June, then my tri 2 weeks later) so I understand my wife's mood. But I weigh 75lbs less than I did 6 months ago and am a different person altogether. As long as I have been able to stay motivated I have found that the day off here or there, generally forced, has not done too much harm. Sometimes it can work as an additonal motivator the next day.
2004-04-05 3:20 PM
in reply to: #16328

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Master
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Berkeley, CA
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
owie - 2004-04-03 4:53 PM

It is only three months until July and it is time for me to get my ass in gear and get out on some long hard bike rides.

And Yes I would like some cheese with that whine.


Can we say ass on here??

How about some aged limburger??

Dana


2004-04-05 3:40 PM
in reply to: #16215

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Expert
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Texarkana, TX
Subject: RE: guilt in taking a day off?
I guess my time on the track team in college taught me that recovery is an integral part of training, because I don't feel bad when I take a day off, or when I am in a recovery week. I try to make sure that I spend some quality time with my wife and two daughters on those days off and light weeks, to balance the time that I spend training on the heavy weeks. This week is a recovery week for me, and judging by my brick on Saturday, I can use it.

So get over and get used to it. Triathlon is pretty cool, but even so there are things that are more important.

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