#4 - Know When to Say No

This is a tough topic. If you have a scheduled training run, at what point is it OK to say 'No' to a run? The 'to run or not to run' question highlights the central dilemma (and challenge!) of run training. Train too little and you won't be prepared to meet your goals; train too much or too hard and you end up injured and unable to train or compete at all. Getting help in answering this question is one of the major benefits in working with an experienced coach if you have the wherewithal to do so. For my training, I typically try and err on the side of caution when deciding to rest in favor of running. As I've stated before, being slightly under trained is superior to not being trained at all, and any significant injury immediately places you in the latter category.

That being said, one must always be vigilant against laziness. It can be tempting to make the claim that your legs are tired or your feet are too sore as easy justification to sit around and do nothing. It must be understood that feeling a little beat up is part of any serious training, and is a key part of the stress/recovery cycle. My rule of thumb to follow is if I'm starting to feel a little too pounded, and am worried that my injury risk is growing higher than I care to tolerate, I'll stick to my work as scheduled, maybe swapping an easy run in for something more strenuous if necessary. If after a few days of easier runs I'm still feeling rough, I'll take a down day for some extra recovery. Swapping in some swimming or cycling is also a good option to keep adding fitness when running seems like a bad idea.

Training: Light cross training (I canceled some speed work, my lower legs are sketchy and I really want to nail a big run tomorrow). Rode bicycle for 60 minutes.