Back in May, I took eight days off from running, had a full-out recovery week. It wasn’t on vacation, I was at home working. It was annoying, I felt grumpy, and frankly, I got a TON of work done. Yep, that’s right, when it came time to strap my shoes back on again, I had a moment where I thought, “Darn it, that was nice.”
That feeling is why time off/recovery time scares the crap out of me. Because when you stop working out—even when it’s on the schedule—there’s the thought in the back of my mind that says, ‘but what if I just… don’t start again?’ I had a similar thought these past couple weeks as I transitioned from our La Cloche run to back on the bike a bit, recovering from some nagging knee issues. It left me feeling nervous that my motivation was gone.
Is it just me, or does anyone else ever get nervous that taking time off from training could lead to a sedentary lifestyle? Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it’s exclusive to those of us who started our fitness journeys later in life and can remember a time when fitness wasn’t a priority, when running or riding wasn’t what we did for fun (or at all). Or maybe it’s universal, this idea that we’re all one rest week away from selling our gear and creating a permanent butt imprint in the couch cushions.
I believe that because of that nagging suspicion, I’ve been way crappier at recovery than I should be for the last bunch of years. And on that, I know I’m not alone.
But here’s what I’m coming to realize, and it’s pretty obvious, but bear with me: Recovery and time off are good things. Especially when they’re planned and built into your training plan, rather than forced on you because of injury. That recovery day or week or even couple of weeks after a major event is a positive thing, and after doing it twice this summer, I can safely say that no, I had no urge to become a couch potato. If anything, I was more excited to get back out.
This is all to just say: Don’t panic about rest days, recovery weeks, or vacations from training. You’ll be back.
Lastly, though, I did want to add that when you do come back, it’s also OK to feel a little ‘mehh’ about it. TBH, this second recovery period with a grumpy knee, I wasn’t really feeling super psyched on getting on the bike and starting back into training. Work has been busy, I’ve been writing up a storm, and hours away from my computer for training felt like a hassle. At least, for the first few days. Once I got back in the groove, I felt fine and have been stoked on the time on the bike (and the short runs making their way back into my schedule). So don’t be distressed if you’re not feeling that burning desire to get started again. Ease into it.
If you’re in the middle of your time off or coming into some and need some distractions, we talk a lot in our book Becoming A Consummate Athlete about ways to make your training life better that you can put into practice while you’re off the bike or not running. Meal prepping, gear organization, making a yearly schedule and discussing it with family, making race day travel plans, doing those chores you never have time for normally… use this time wisely!
READ MORE:
- Organize Your Gear So It Sparks Joy—And Speeds You Out the Door
- How To Organize Bike Gear
- How to Plan Meals (The Easy Way)
- Your Athletic Gear Spring Cleaning Checklist
- How to Organize an Athletic Clothing / Gear Swap with Friends
