Runday Monday: Resting Up

If you've ever done any amount of distance running, you know the importance of rest days. They help your body adjust, recover, and rebuild from the strenuous activity you're putting it through. They help you prepare for the next week of training and the next long run run. You should certainly include at least one such day of no/low activity into your week. I usually do, though the past few days have been all rest days for me, thanks to feeling a bit under the weather.

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Hudson came down with a head cold last weekend and had been off kilter pretty much ever since. So much so, that we decided to postpone an out-of-town weekend trip to visit his Aunt. We figured he could use as much good rest as possible in his own bed to recover. Rest days are important no matter your age! Despite being disappointed about the cancelled plans, I began looking forward to getting a good run in on Friday morning, joining a friend for a long run (part of her even longer run) on Sunday, and a birthday party invite for the little man.

But by Friday, I was fending of aches and sniffles. I attempted my run on Friday morning, but only 5km in and I was done for. No music shuffling, no mantras, no walk breaks were making me keep going. It was a day I listened to my body and said thanks for the 5km, but I'm going rest easy for now. By Saturday, it crept into my throat and seemed to hang around. Des also came down with the symptoms and between us, we made a sneezy, sleepless, sooky trio ;) I decided it was best to bail on the long run plans for the weekend as well and we vetoed any notion of spreading our germs amongst other kiddies at a party. Instead, we bunkered down for Saturday night and Sunday morning.

By yesterday afternoon, Hudson was markedly improved, as was I. Des was still fighting it a bit, but all in all we were doing ok. Just goes to show rest days are key to recovery. I'm looking forward to easing back into the training with a slow and steady short run this morning and back to 10km tomorrow. Wish me luck ... and be sure to rest easy yourself when you need it!