Overachieving in training
Have you already completed your doughnut this week? Nice running.
You now have a choice. You can either end your running there for the week, or do a little more running and grab some ‘extra’ training load. This can sometimes be a tricky choice.
On one hand you might be able to do a few more runs easily and keep building your fitness.
On the other hand this is the point in time when the risks are highest. By filling your doughnut you have exposed your body to more training that it is accustomed to - this is, of course, how you build fitness. However, if you train too much your risk of illness, injury, burnout and overtraining all increase.
There is a fine line to walk here, and unfortunately there is no simple rule for navigating this decision. There are however some guidelines which will help you make an informed choice.
Take it easy
If you do extra running, it’s best to keep this at an easy pace. That reduces the stress (both mental and physical) from the runs and keeps the risks a little lower.
Err on the side of caution
Remember that by completing your doughnut you have already done everything Kaizen thinks you need to do this week. So there’s no need for additional risk.
Listen to your body
Are you tired or feeling good? If you feel strong then capitalising on this moment is awesome, but if not then rest up.
Stay consistent
Finally, remember that the name of the game is consistency, so if this extra running you’re planning for the next few days means that you’re going to be too tired to train effectively next week (and critically if it means you won’t be able to achieve your doughnut) then it’s probably better to hold off.
It’s also useful to consider how many more days there are this week. The earlier in the week you complete your doughnut the more flexibility you have. For example completing the doughnut on Thursday might mean you could take two rest days and then go for a run on Sunday.
But before you make this choice give yourself a pat on the back for completing your doughnut this week.
