Rest is for the Weak

“Somewhere in the world, someone is training when you aren’t. When you race him, he’ll win.”

Rest day? I don't need no stinkin rest day!!!!

So when was the last day that I didn't swim, bike or run? February 22. That is 61 straight days of training. And I am still going.

Many training plans build in at least one complete rest day a week. Sometimes it is every other week. Not me....I am too hardcore for that pansy crap.

Ok, kidding on that last statement. Rest and recovery are crucial to getting better and faster in this sport. I used to subscribe to the one day off a week mentality. This year, or at least in the beginning, I am following a different philosophy.

Most people, myself included, don't follow their training plans 100%. There are weeks and days where life gets in the way. Maybe the swim calls for 4000y but I only have time for 3000y so I cut it short. Maybe instead of riding 4 hours, I call it a day at 3.5. The reality is training plans get cut short...often by about 20%. This is rest to me. The rest day is included because on those planned weeks, you might need to rest. However, if you are only hitting 80-85% of your workouts then the rest day might not be as needed.

Also, the downside of using a generic training plan v. coaching is that it isn't tailored to my schedule. So each week I piece meal it together. For example, last week it had 4 workouts in one day...each 45-60 minutes. That is nearly impossible for me to complete in a given day. That requires a morning, lunch, afternoon and night workout. There isn't enough time in the day. So I like to take the scheduled rest day and move around workouts to fill in the spot.

Finally, I say I don't take rest days...but I do. It all depends on what you call rest. For me, I like to use the word recovery. Monday was a recovery day. I only rode 15 mile...roughly 50 minutes at a casual 17 mph pace. That is a very light day that doesn't tax my body. Often Friday's are a swim only day. A 2-3000 yard swim isn't working my body too hard. It is giving my legs the day off. So intensity matters. I can train at a lower intensity, get a beneficial workout without adding to my fatigue level.

So when will the streak end? Likely either right before Triple T or directly after it. I tend to go a little stir crazy during a full taper so that would be an ideal time. After the race, I plan on taking off a few days from work so I think I might have an opportunity to catch up on a few things.