Time to take it easy✍️
At the beginning of this week, I wasn’t feeling too great. On Tuesday, I had intervals planned, but instead I went for a slow and short recovery run. On Wednesday, I skipped running completely. And yesterday, despite my “data” not looking great, I went out for a 10K at a low-ish intensity.
I felt okay while running, but by the evening, I was tired and went to bed early.
This morning, my heart rate data (especially my HRV or "heart rate variability") was even lower than the days before. All my apps are telling me to take it easy today. And if I can be honest, this reflects how I feel. Not to say worse than yesterday, but definitely not primed and ready for training.
This is creating an internal battle. I want to go out and train. I feel I have to as I'm training for a marathon. And these same apps, that tell me to take it easy, also warn me that I’m not in a “productive” training state. So this fuels my brain to say: get out there, run, give your body the volume it needs.
But luckily, there’s another voice too. One that looks at the bigger picture. It reminds me that I’m training for something months away, not for tomorrow. It tells me that pushing through when my body is clearly asking for a rest might not make me stronger, but actually might just set me back.
That’s my internal struggle: the pull between short-term numbers and long-term progress. Between “doing more” and “doing less”.
But training adaptation doesn’t only happen during a workout; rest and recovery are equally important. Skipping a workout, or even having a lower-volume week, doesn’t erase months of consistent training. But ignoring the signals, pushing too hard, and getting injured? That could jeopardise everything.
This isn’t just about running. In work, in life, in relationships, we often think that being “productive” means constantly doing, pushing, delivering. But sometimes the most productive thing we can do is to pause, to recover, to take a step back so that we can move forward stronger afterwards.
So this week, while I don't want to, I’m going to take it easier.
Not because I'm giving up my goal, but rather to ensure I'll be ready when it counts.
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