Common mistakes and cardinal sins I continue to commit
Today's TIaRT topic: Common mistakes and cardinal sins of running. What are some of the most common mistakes you make with your running? Why? What did you learn from them? And of all your mistakes, which ones have you vowed to never to again and would urge other runners to avoid this most evil pitfall.
My common mistakes and cardinal sins of running aren't all that earth shattering. In fact, I know quite a lot of runners (personally and from the blogosphere) who commit them again and again and somehow, we just never learn. 1) I don't take rest days practically ever (who has time to rest?!) and 2) I push through injuries and don't always take the time off that I need to.
Rest days = not my style. The hard part however, is that with any endurance sport, you actually get better BECAUSE of your rest days. And even though I know that to be true, I can't seem to stomach my pride and give my bod a rest. It may have something to do with being a woman and feeling like one day of rest means you'll gain a pound or two. I just can't bare to skip burning those extra 500+ calories in a day. I know, I know, you're thinking I should really get a grip.
I've run, limped and winced my way through injuries. I know I'm not the only one out there who refuses to accept that working through an injury won't always help it. Luckily, this is one cardinal sin I've actually improved upon (versus the rest day, which I've in fact gotten worse about). With each new injury (low back, knee, plantar fasciitis and now tendonitis) I've slowly but surely learned that just a little less running and a little more bike and swimming (and maybe even a day of yoga and abs) will allow me to heal quicker.
Case in point is this whole upcoming marathon. I'm a mere three weeks from my marathon and I haven't run more than a handful of miles per week for THREE entire weeks now and I'm NOT freaking out (ok, maybe just a bit). I am however, realizing that I need to run longish this weekend in order to remind my body what it feels like and get some running in before it's technically "taper time."
Ultimately, I think it's good if we're able to learn from ours and others mistakes, but if we continue to commit them, they becomes sins we have to learn to accept. For example, I'm willing to accept that some of my runs could be a lot faster and easier, my hips could be a bit looser, my quads not always sore if I would only take a freaking rest day once in a while. But I'm willing to accept it because I know I could take the rest day, but ultimately I choose not to.
Tell me, what's your cardinal sin (running or not)?
My common mistakes and cardinal sins of running aren't all that earth shattering. In fact, I know quite a lot of runners (personally and from the blogosphere) who commit them again and again and somehow, we just never learn. 1) I don't take rest days practically ever (who has time to rest?!) and 2) I push through injuries and don't always take the time off that I need to.
Rest days = not my style. The hard part however, is that with any endurance sport, you actually get better BECAUSE of your rest days. And even though I know that to be true, I can't seem to stomach my pride and give my bod a rest. It may have something to do with being a woman and feeling like one day of rest means you'll gain a pound or two. I just can't bare to skip burning those extra 500+ calories in a day. I know, I know, you're thinking I should really get a grip.
I've run, limped and winced my way through injuries. I know I'm not the only one out there who refuses to accept that working through an injury won't always help it. Luckily, this is one cardinal sin I've actually improved upon (versus the rest day, which I've in fact gotten worse about). With each new injury (low back, knee, plantar fasciitis and now tendonitis) I've slowly but surely learned that just a little less running and a little more bike and swimming (and maybe even a day of yoga and abs) will allow me to heal quicker.
Case in point is this whole upcoming marathon. I'm a mere three weeks from my marathon and I haven't run more than a handful of miles per week for THREE entire weeks now and I'm NOT freaking out (ok, maybe just a bit). I am however, realizing that I need to run longish this weekend in order to remind my body what it feels like and get some running in before it's technically "taper time."
Ultimately, I think it's good if we're able to learn from ours and others mistakes, but if we continue to commit them, they becomes sins we have to learn to accept. For example, I'm willing to accept that some of my runs could be a lot faster and easier, my hips could be a bit looser, my quads not always sore if I would only take a freaking rest day once in a while. But I'm willing to accept it because I know I could take the rest day, but ultimately I choose not to.
Tell me, what's your cardinal sin (running or not)?
Comments
At least you're willing to admit that you don't want to take the rest day and are willing to deal with the consequences.
(I do think it's awesome that you don't take rest days often. I wish I was that disciplined and fit)