When you are training a lot, it is really easy to get obsessed with exercise and to try to "do something" every day.
After a few small niggles that turned into more serious injuries because I ignored them and kept training, I've come to realise the very real value of doing nothing sometimes.
I woke up this morning sore. After a half marathon, a 5K effort and some hill climbs in the last few days it's not surprising really. Lying in bed my quads felt like they'd been kicked. My calves are tight and I just generally feel a little run down. So I went back to sleep.
The science is clear. We get fitter, faster when we take some down time every now and then. Abused muscle fibres re-knit and the restorative power of sleep do wonders for mind and body. As a busy person, I do the majority of my training at "stupid o'clock" in the morning. Coupled with a busy job, a young family, and some late night TV coverage of cycling, it means that I am certainly not getting 8 hours sleep at night. That makes recovery days even more important.
Whilst it can sometimes feel that you are going to fall behind your training plan, or that you are missing out on an opportunity to put in some miles, you're actually just giving your body the preparation it needs to smash your next workout and go to the next level.
When I first started training regularly for Triathlon, I was absolutely determined to swim, ride or run (or a combination of the above) every day of the week. I started to see massive improvements in my speed, endurance and technique. My motto was "more volume
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