Amy Flick
September, 13th 2018
DO I NEED A DAY OFF?
Rest & Recovery are Key for Distance Running
It is important to know your body’s limits to prevent overtraining. Rest and recovery are key components of training and allow your body to adapt to the stresses you are placing on the body. When we train, we cause irritation and inflammation to our muscles. Rest days give our bodies the opportunity to recover and heal the muscles so they are stronger than they were before we trained and better prepared for the stress of the activity the next time we engage in it. By skipping rest days or over training, our bodies may actually begin to lose strength, speed and stamina. Overtraining not only causes a plateau in work-outs, it can also negatively affect the rest of body systems.
What are signs of being over-trained? How do you know when you need a day off??
Runner’s World had a great article in the June 2011 issue. To summarize, they recommend paying attention to 10 markers. If you say “yes” to three or more of these markers, you should strongly consider taking a day off.
- 1. You are losing weight.
- 2. Your heart rate is elevated. This is a sign of stress.
- 3. You aren’t sleeping well or aren’t sleeping enough. Sleep is necessary to help rebuild the muscle fibers you disrupt with a good workout.
- 4. Your urine is dark yellow in color. A sign of dehydration. You need to drink water.
- 5. You feel run down. Be honest with yourself on this one.
- 6. You are in a bad mood.
- 7. You feel sick.
- 8. You have pain or an injury.
- 9. You had a bad workout or multiple workouts.
- 10. Your oxygen levels are low (as measured by a pulse oximeter). Most people will not be able to monitor their oxygen levels and thus this marker will likely not apply.
Visit http://www.runnersworld.com/topic/0,7122,s6-238-267-0-0,00.html and click on the article “10 Signs That You Need a Rest Day” for more details. Ultimately, you need to listen to your body and give it the rest it deserves when it needs it.
Modified from Runner’s World http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267–13950-0,00.html
Amy Flick is a Physical Therapist at ThedaCare.
About ThedaCare
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,700 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose, as well as 31 clinics in nine counties and the ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.
