When you decide to take it easy for a few days (listening to your body/mind)

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2012-06-13 8:56 AM

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Subject: When you decide to take it easy for a few days (listening to your body/mind)

Just finished off a few tough weeks (for me), and really felt that it was time to take it easy for a week or so. Both to try and mentally recover, and physically recover.

The first couple of days of "taking it easy" are always the worst! I feel lethargic, do not have a strong spring in my step, and just unmotivated to get out there. Its weird, but maybe some others feel the same way (I would like to know!). 

Its completely the opposite of what I would expect. I would have expected my body to be itching to get out and train, be overloaded with energy, etc., but it just isn't. So it becomes a battle (mental) to get out and train after this "easy streak". Nevertheless, after a few crappy easy days, I finally (usually) start to feel energetic again, and start to feel a big boost in performance. 

Thoughts on what's going on here? If I had kept to my normal training schedule, instead of "taking it easy", I would probably not have gone through the lethargy, and de-motivation that apparently came with taking time off. 

2012-06-13 8:59 AM
in reply to: #4259233

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Subject: RE: When you decide to take it easy for a few days (listening to your body/mind)

Recovery weeks and tapering periods tend to be that way for some reason. I read an article on here or somewhere else that talks about the misery of recovery.  

I went through the same thing when I made it to taper period for my ironman. I felt like hell for almost a week.  So weird.  

2012-06-13 9:01 AM
in reply to: #4259233

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Subject: RE: When you decide to take it easy for a few days (listening to your body/mind)
That is what I am doing. Not sure if I am burned out or not. Every once in awhile ( in this case runners) we all get into a funk. Last night, I so did not want to run. I was fighting it all the way. I made a deal with myself. Run the first 5 miles at an 8 minute pace and then see where I am for the last two miles. Well I did that and ran the last two miles at a 7:30 pace. I will say I will do that again today/tonight until the funk is gone. It might be today or next week. I am not training for anything, so it is a good thing. I say yes, listen to your body. If easy runs are what you need to get back into the game, then do it. In the book, The Men of Oregon, Bill Bowerman made Kenny Moore ( 1972 Olympic Marathoner and SI journalist) jog 3 miles and stop. Moore tried to fight it, but Bowerman was serious. Stop. No more for the day. Eventually the freshness came back to his legs.
2012-06-13 9:29 AM
in reply to: #4259233

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