Exxxxcuse me while I dust my shoulders off.
I have had two really awesome weeks of training (I only put three weeks on my fridge at a time so I don’t psych myself out – it seems to work). I’ve done all my ‘minimum’ workouts and even squeezed in two bonus swims. However, my current pattern seems to be “kick ass for two weeks, blow off the third” so this week is the real test. I’m definitely determined to have another good week, but I’m a little nervous – 21 miles in a week is a LOT.
I started the week off with a bang with a swim workout. I’m pretty sore from yesterday’s long run so I stopped at 750 yards instead of my normal 1000. I absolutely love doing a swim after my long run day – it really seems to loosen everything up.
Lunch:
We are oh-so-low on groceries. We normally shop on Sundays but went on Friday instead. And somehow, we’ve already wiped out our entire haul (how?!?!). This was the end of all the good stuff.
Grilled tofu – on the George Foreman – with quinoa, veggies, and squash.
Off to go work. I wish it was my day to watch Henry. I’d rather be playing.
At least we got to have lunch together. <3 Tables are yummy.
Anyone else go through workout patterns – a few weeks of awesomeness and a week of meh? What’s the key for breaking the cycle? I’m hoping that since this week is free of holidays and work trips, I’ll stay on track!
* Karate Kid reference, obviously.
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m only a few weeks into my new workout routine, but I’m finding that the weekends are my worst for falling off the wagon. You’d think it would be easier since I’m not working at my full time job on the weekends, but I seem to lose my focus. Hoping to change that, because weekends seem like the best time to get an extra-long workout!
A thought on the awesome/meh pattern (that happens to me too except at random intervals): If you’ve been going 2 weeks of awesome and 1 week of meh, and you put up 3 weeks of your training plan at a time…do you think that could be related? Does your training plan include step-back weeks (I usually have every 4th week as a step-back)? If so, maybe try letting the step-back week be the last week you put on the fridge at a time, so you’re SUPPOSED to be a little more relaxed with your workouts…or, just PLAN for every 3rd week to be a step-back (maybe your mind/body are telling you something?)…
You can do it!!!! I always remind myself of how AWESOME and proud I’ll feel when I complete my plan!
I so do that. By that I mean chew on tables. They are delicious.
But yeah, I’m pretty sure my mind craps out after two weeks of dedication. So you’re not alone! Step-back weeks are my friend.
It took me a long time to realize this but…I need that meh week. My body would prefer it every third week, but for training purposes, I usually schedule a cutback week every fourth week. Having one scheduled does two things – 1) it allows my body and mind to take a break and 2) really pushes me through the third week “mehs.” Just ‘x’ workouts until I can take a break is pretty valuable motivator.
Try scheduling them in. My $0.02 is that Hal Higdon’s plans are crap because they leave people unprepared and don’t have sufficient rest weeks, setting people (especially beginners, who seem to love him) up for major failure. *stepping off rant-box now*
Karate Kid is a FABULOUS movie and that reference just made my day
haha wax on…wax off love it!
You’ve got this! I absolutely go through those kinds of weeks. I think it’s burn out.
Lunch looks amazing! Good job with the two weeks on… I need to have two ‘on-days’ LOL
I definitely have a cycle with my workouts where I start some new workout, it goes great, I start building momentum, and then I get injured. After that I either ditch the workout for something else new or struggle for a while to get my mojo back. Right now I’m in the struggling part, so hopefully it pays off.
G’luck with breaking your bad cycle.
I definitely have weeks where I slack on my workouts. It’s usually when I start to get over ambitious- and somehow convince myself that I can have social plans everynight, clean the entire house, work 10 hours days AND still make it to 4 yoga classes.
The end result is usually that the workouts get cut.
I signed up on DailyMile several months back and it has helped me tremendously with staying on track with workouts/runs. I love logging the workouts and visually seeing the progress and on days that I don’t feel like doing anything I just get on and see what all my DM friends are up to and it’s usually enough to get me motivated to get out the door and do something.
I think workout patterns are pretty normal. To me, they’re usually a sign that it’s time to change up my workouts, even just a bit.
I am the same way! Two weeks are great, and I kinda loose steam on the third. This is dreaded 3rd week, and although I skipped crossfit this morning, I still got in a good workout around lunch time…hopefully my motivation stays for this week!
I always seem to do this too. I am fine for two weeks and then blah. I get sick, or tired, or whatever. The fact that it’s always dark and usually raining doesn’t help. Running in the dark and rain sucks. I get so cold and then it takes me all night to warm back up. I find that once I skip a day or two my motivation vanishes and I start over the next week. But today I registerd for my first 5k, I have 3 weeks to get my butt together. I really doubt I’ll be able to run 5k by then but I am going to give it my best shot and hopefully I at least finish. I’ll then aim to do better in February in my second 5k.
Maybe that’s just your body telling you that’s what it wants to do.
This has nothing to do with your blog post but I’ve noticed that your friend nicole’s blog isn’t allowing access. Did she go private? And if so how do I view it? I loved reading yuppieyogini…
She did go private because of her work (she’s a therapist). But it’s private for her eyes only until she figures out what to do with it – she’s not currently publishing. I’ll tell her you miss her!
me too..I thought she was funny.
Ok yes tell her I miss reading what’s going on especially after the wedding:)
I spy with my little eye…an invitation to Meghann’s wedding!! I saw it in another post, too!
I’m just about to start working two days a week after being on Maternity Leave. I’d love to know how you are able to shut off your “Mommy Brain” when you are working? I think I’m going to find it hard to make the shift back and forth – and I’m sure I will be missing play time on those days as well
I try to think of it like this – the faster I get through this work, the sooner I get to Henry so I better focus. Not sure if your job is task driven or not but that really helped me.
I do step-back weeks too. I’m a newish runner, started about a year ago, and it’s still hard on my body to add too much mileage at once. I’m training for a half marathon in May, and the training plan I found has step-back weeks. Like this week, I’m only running twice, but I have yoga and a bike ride scheduled in instead.
I find that if I let myself lose workout momentum, its all over. Actually scheduling in a block of time to workout during the day and telling myself I have to workout during that time is tee only way I’ve found to keep this from happening, especially since with an 18 month old of I don’t get my workout or run in during that scheduled time there isno longer the option of “I’ll do it later”.
I am a new runner and want to thank you so much for this post and all the comments. I totally thought it was just me that wanted a week off after the 3rd or 4th one. I was being so hard on myself.
But now I have ideas and know that it’s ok to take a break and keep going at the same time.
21 Miles is a lot but only 2 more than you did last week!!! Try thinking of it that way….
I know you can do it!
i’ve been starting to add swimming back into my routine..good idea to do it the day after long run! i’ll remember that next week