BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Consider Taking a Rest Day

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let’s get started by talking about this weather… again. Between all the snow and the ice, this winter has wreaked havoc on the trails and roads the last few weeks. Which means, if you’re a runner like me who opted to not own a treadmill (a choice I’m highly reconsidering), you might be feeling the frustration of missed runs or runs that are subpar in speed or distance to account for the conditions. 

But I have good news! A snowy and slick day can actually be a blessing in disguise for a runner. For one thing, it’s an opportunity to take a rest day. (Yes, you probably do need a day off.) Especially if you’re experiencing both psychological and physiological signs that you might need a day (or more) off from running. What are those signs you might ask? Well…

Perhaps the number one sign you might need a day off for your mental health is when (not if) you don’t feel motivated to tackle your runs and workouts like you used to, or you’re not actually enjoying doing them. If running is something you love and you start to notice that it’s feeling more like an unwanted chore, a day off may be just what you need. Unusual crankiness and irritability are also signs you need a mental break to recharge your batteries and refocus on your goals.  

Physically, there a few key signs to look out for. Among them are: regular sleep disturbances, an elevated morning heart rate, the inability to fight off a cold, a sense of generalized fatigue, loss of appetite, feeling stiff or sore in general or feeling discomfort in a localized area, and feeling like it’s getting harder to maintain your normal training pace (physically and mentally). 

Running Coach Angela Fifer has this to say about knowing when it’s time to take a rest day (something I’ve repeated to the runners I coach as well)… “I like to tell my athletes, ‘Listen to the whispers of your body, it will never have to shout at you.’ That simply means that if they tune into the more subtle signals that they’re pushing too hard—or the whispers—and respect those signals by altering the plan to allow for some recovery, then they might be able to avoid injury—or the shout.” 

So what should you do on a full rest day (as opposed to an active recovery day)? Take the complete day off from training by not engaging in any significant physical exertion, including activities like brisk walking (although a stroll in the park is always a great idea) and focusing on passive recovery methods like stretching, foam rolling, or light mobility exercises instead. This gives the body (and mind) time to recover. 

Key points about a full rest day for runners if you’re still leery:

• Importance:

  Rest days are crucial for preventing overuse injuries, replenishing glycogen stores, and allowing soft tissues to heal, which can ultimately improve performance and prevent burnout. 

  
  

  Frequency:

  Most runners should aim for at least one full rest day per week, although some may need more depending on their training volume and experience level. 
• Who might need more rest days: 

  New runners, runners returning from an injury or who are prone to injury, and runners with a high training volume.

So there you have it friends. You may not want to take a rest day but you need to take a rest day every now and then. We all do. So embrace it, add it to your training plan, and then reap the many benefits that will come from it. You’ll be so glad you did.

 Happy Resting!