What I learned from taking *almost* 1 month off of running

Erin from 6 years ago could not have IMAGINED taking almost an entire month off of running. I was the person that was convinced that if I didn't KEEP running, all of my fitness would suddenly disappear and I would never be able to run again. Toxic, I know.

For those of you out there that may be in the same boat as I was years ago, let's unpack this together.

First off, let's unpack the WHY. Why did I decided to take that long off?

I ran Houston and walked away with a pretty big marathon PR, I could have just kept trying to ride that fitness and see what else I could do. Instead of pushing, I really took a step back to tap into how I felt both mentally and physically. I had a very long year of training in 2024. I jumped from one training cycle to another and I was BURNT OUT. You may be asking yourself, how do I know if I'm burnt out? Great question.

SIGNS OF BURNOUT IN RUNNING:

• Chronic fatigue-no matter how much sleep I got that night, I was EXHAUSTED. No amount of rest days could fix it-I felt like a walking zombie.

• Lack of motivation- I typically enjoy MOST of my runs (def not all) but I found myself dreading my runs each day. I did them, but the joy was gone.

• Lingering Soreness- Typically I don't get sore from running, if I do it last MAYBE a day, and my legs are more tired than anything. This time, it felt like I had cement on my feet almost every run.

If you are trying to decide if you should take time off look at both the physical and mental symptoms you are dealing with. You body does a really great job at communicating what it needs, but we have to listen.

Next, what the heck did you do for almost a month if you weren't running?

Honestly, whatever I wanted to do. I met up with some girlfriends for coffee in exchange for Saturday morning long runs. I spent evenings walking with my husband and dogs in exhange for evening lifting sessions. I slept in instead of waking up at 5:30 to get my run in before work. I needed the mental reprieve and I am so thankful for the memories I got to make during that time.

If you need a permission slip to take a beat & get rid of the rigidity of training, I will gladly sign it for you.

Finally, how did I know when to start back & what I am doing now?

I didn't want to start back until I saw people on the street running and thought, "wow, I really wish I was them right now". So, driving down the road one day that thought popped in my mind and it kept creeping up until I got SO excited to lace up my shoes & I finally did it. There is no specific time that you need to take post race. (as long as you aren't jumping in too soon, that is indeed a thing) Jump back in when you feel ready.

As for what my off season is going to look like, I am training for a Deka Fit competition with a friend of mine so I am doing heavy strength training right now and running 3-4 days each week. No time goals. I turn my watch over. I just cruise and soak up the feeling. Because running is about so much more than a finish line, it's about who you become in the process & dang if I haven't fallen in love with that version of me.

If you are struggling to know what to do in the off season, make sure to snag our off season training template! It is a great guide to help you if you want a little bit of structure, but don't want to fully commit to 1:1 in the off season.

Tap here to grab yours!

In the meantime, make sure to follow us on IG @sfsrunners!

XOXO,

COACH ERIN