Lately, between work,stressing out over trying to get financing on a business deal and training I have just been exhausted. My work-out pace-times have dropped off and my "race-pace" sets are either agonizing or just disappointing. This is from a peak about a month ago when I was swimming seconds faster than my projected race pace on all my 50s,75s, and 100s
So what's the solution? Bumble on through the rough spot and hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel? Stop training for a week or more and recover? Switch training to something else altogether? Or maybe pick the pace up and punish my old bones into obeying the master plan?
Are you lifting weights or doing any other dry land workouts? If find that when I "hit the wall" as you have, I back off on the dryland and weight work for a week, add a bit more technique work in the pool, focus on extra sleep and take one day extra rest that particular week (I rest Wed and Sundays0, so typically my extra rest day is Saturday, if needed. Then I hit it hard again starting Monday.)
Two weeks ago I swam in a 3-day USA meet without tapering and the week following I was wiped out. I tried to hit it hard but the body needed extra rest. Last week I was feeling a little better and started ramping up again in the weight room and pool. And this week I feel great (sore but good). I pushed a hard set of broken 100s yesterday after lifting legs hard the day before. Today I feel surprisingly good.
So the key for me is "listening" to my body and if it is telling me I need to back off I do. Pushing through it simply does not work for me because then I reach a point where I am not improving and it then becomes a chore. And I am in it to feel good, have fun and swim fast. When I am over tired all three of those goals are not met... So I rest.
Be careful though, you have to be honest with yourself, because it is a fine line. If you back off and rest too much you will not be training hard enough to be in optimal shape come race time. That is why having the Master Plan is a good idea. Have a rest week built into your season training schedule.
Last but not least -- when the stress of work and family is high, dont forget to watch what you eat and take extra vitamin B, plus extra fruit and water throughout the day. Sometimes, when I get really busy with life I forget to drink water and my diet gets out of sync with my training.
Are you lifting weights or doing any other dry land workouts? If find that when I "hit the wall" as you have, I back off on the dryland and weight work for a week, add a bit more technique work in the pool, focus on extra sleep and take one day extra rest that particular week (I rest Wed and Sundays0, so typically my extra rest day is Saturday, if needed. Then I hit it hard again starting Monday.)
Two weeks ago I swam in a 3-day USA meet without tapering and the week following I was wiped out. I tried to hit it hard but the body needed extra rest. Last week I was feeling a little better and started ramping up again in the weight room and pool. And this week I feel great (sore but good). I pushed a hard set of broken 100s yesterday after lifting legs hard the day before. Today I feel surprisingly good.
So the key for me is "listening" to my body and if it is telling me I need to back off I do. Pushing through it simply does not work for me because then I reach a point where I am not improving and it then becomes a chore. And I am in it to feel good, have fun and swim fast. When I am over tired all three of those goals are not met... So I rest.
Be careful though, you have to be honest with yourself, because it is a fine line. If you back off and rest too much you will not be training hard enough to be in optimal shape come race time. That is why having the Master Plan is a good idea. Have a rest week built into your season training schedule.
Last but not least -- when the stress of work and family is high, dont forget to watch what you eat and take extra vitamin B, plus extra fruit and water throughout the day. Sometimes, when I get really busy with life I forget to drink water and my diet gets out of sync with my training.
