Adjusting Your Workouts When You're Feeling Tired
Learn how to adapt your running workouts when you're not feeling your best, without losing fitness or motivation
Running is a challenging sport, and some days it can be tough to get through a workout. When you're feeling tired or the weather is not cooperating, it can be frustrating to try to push through a difficult session. However, elite athletes have learned to manage their workouts in these situations, and with a few simple adjustments, you can too.
## How to Adapt Your Workouts When you're feeling off or the weather is not ideal, there are a few options to consider. The first option is to delay the workout to another day, if possible. If that's not an option, you can adjust the workout in one of three ways: slow the rep time, reduce the number of repeats, or increase the recovery time between repeats.
## Adjusting Your Workout To slow the rep time, you can aim for a slightly slower pace than usual. For example, if your goal time is 7:30 min/mile, you could aim for 7:40 min/mile, which is a 2.5% adjustment. This allows you to complete the workout without overexerting yourself. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of repeats, which is a good option if you're focusing on shorter distances. Increasing the recovery time between repeats can also help, allowing you to rest and recover before pushing yourself again.
## Using a Contingency Plan To help you adjust your workouts, you can use a contingency plan that takes into account how you're feeling and the weather conditions. The plan has four levels, each with a corresponding adjustment to your performance. The levels are as follows: | Level | Description | Adjustment | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Feeling a little off, slight headwind | 2.5% reduction in performance | | 2 | Legs are heavy, moderate headwind | 4% reduction in performance | | 3 | Feeling slow and tired, strong headwind | 6% reduction in performance | | 4 | Sick or on the verge of injury, very strong headwind | Take the day off or do an easy jog |
By using this contingency plan and making adjustments to your workout, you can ensure that you're getting the most out of your training, even on days when you're not feeling your best. Remember, the key is to be flexible and listen to your body, rather than pushing yourself too hard and risking injury or burnout.
