Spring is usually a favorite season for runners of all distances. After bundling up and training all winter, many of us were gearing up and counting the weeks to our spring races. With all those spring races now cancelled, many of us may be thinking “Now What?”. Here’s why you should keep up your training after your race is cancelled.
Why You Should Keep Up Your Training After Your Race is Cancelled
Training is never wasted no matter where you were in your training when the world turned upside down. Presumably, you carefully chose your spring/summer races, maybe were even lucky enough to get in by lottery. You made a commitment to train for that date and have worked hard on your progress. Whether you were on week one or week eight of your plan, those are training miles in the bank.
Races will eventually return and be rescheduled before we know it. Keeping up your training ensures that you will be more prepared when race day comes. In a way, it’s a gift of more time. More time to safely build and maintain your base.More time to feel confident in your race distance. More time to break in new shoes and try new fueling strategies.
Staying on your regular exercise and fitness schedule can provide a sense of purpose and a sense of normalcy during these stressful and uncertain times. Setting small workout goals everyday and achieving them just feels good.
Finally, keeping up your running and fitness will keep you in better shape and hopefully health to weather whatever is thrown your way. I also might add, there may be more stress or boredom snacking going on and running can only help that!
[You may also like how to recover after a cold winter run]
Tell me are you sticking to your training plan now that some of your races are cancelled?
Thanks for helping to make the Runners’ Roundup a huge success by visiting all of the hosts: Me, Debbie, Rachel, Smitha, Jen and Lisa
We hope this space gives our readers a place to connect and feel supported through this uncertain and stressful time.
Exactly! This is precisely the way I view it, too: this is a gift of more time. We can steadily build up our base totally stress-free. Very soon, our lives will be back to the usual hectic routine and we will miss this quiet downtime!
And yes, I love this space that you and the fellow blogger-friends provide. Thanks for hosting!
Thank you Catarina for being a part of virtual run crew! I was still thinking I could use a few more weeks of training for cherry blossom and other races and now I have it
I definitely agree! I’m not following my exact training plan any more but Im continuing my workouts. I want to give myself more flexibility now and then hopefully I’ll feel ready to train hard again whenever we can start racing again.
More flexibility is certainly needed with a change of schedule (and a toddler always) but keeping up our training will serve us well in the future
I agree — but I disagree with the title. Training — to me, anyway — implies things like speed work, tempos, etc. So many of us fall prey to overuse injury. I think this is the prefect time to just run easy and maintain that base.
I get what you’re saying, but I also think in many ways we’ve been given a golden opportunity here to step back and reassess — and really finally recover! Which doesn’t mean to stop with exercise, but just to examine the way you’re exercising & whether or not it’s truly serving you.
It’s actually a blog post I have in mind at some point. 🙂
I definitely agree with your points as well. I am not saying we need to go out and crush it but rather keep up our base, our schedule and our goals. Reassessing current training is always helpful from time to time. Look forward to reading your post as well
My races haven’t been cancelled yet but I’m sure it’s coming. I’m still training for them since it’s giving me something to focus on. Besides, I truly love the training process more than the actual race.
I actually think I do too!
I totally agree. A race is just a race. Why stop training. Run the miles that day anyway. Keeps you motivated.
I disagree with Judy. It’s not the time to take it easy. It’s the time to continue as normal. And everyone’s training plan is different. Running is the only thing can can stay normal.
I agree with you that, for me as well, running is something that can stay fairly normal during this chaos. I need that right now. It gives me a sense of purpose each day and a sense of accomplishment. Thanks!
With all my races being cancelled, I thought I’d step back…but CrossFit has really ramped up the wods. So I’m training harder in that realm. The best thing is that it is paying off on the road. I do need to do more stretching, tho.
It sure looks like it’s paying off for you! I believe all these reasons apply to CF or biking or whatever your training is. Carry on!
We are so in sync 😉 I’m treating this reprieve from “real” races as a perfect time to maintain all the training (but with less hard-core). I’m glad so many races are offering virtual options.
Yes exactly! I am finding keeping my schedule is keeping me sane!
Definitely agree that training is never wasted! I’m almost glad my race got postponed until October since I as started to feel some burnout so I’m just going with the flow for my runs right now which feels right.
Way to find the upside!
I’m sticking to my regular running routine! I find that training time helps with stress management and makes me a much more pleasant, focused person to be around! The races will start up again one of these days – just gotta make the best of the time we are in now! (a.k.a. catch up on life things while my training isn’t as intense 🙂 )
Yes it sure does help w stress management
I’m not really training now that my races have been cancelled but I’m still running 4 times a week just for my mental health and as a way to get out of the house! No speed work or specific distances though. I’m just running what I feel like and have time for, which kind of feels good too.
It does feel good just to run but those miles will help you maintain your base for when things get back to normal
I love this take on things – there are so many things we can still be working on! Plus, it helps keep me sane 🙂
Definitely keeps me sane! Have a good rest of your week
This is actually so true! We were just training for a race as a group and this is exactly what I needed stay focused! The race will be rescheduled and we will be ready! Thanks!
Yes it will eventually! Hang in there
The one thing I would add is to dial down the mileage a bit since higher mileage often depletes our immune systems. Otherwise, all systems go!
Sure thing maintaining my base is what I am aiming for right now
I think sticking to a regular routine of running and working out is important. I have dialed back my mileage – this is a perfect opportunity for me to give my quad/hip more time to heal. A gift for sure!
Yes it sure is a perfect time to nurse some of those lingering aches and pains
For me, it’s really nice to be able to move forward with my rehab and recovery without the pressure of races looming over me. That being said, I despise what’s going on and want things to go back to normal.
It is a crazy time for sure and very confusing
I agree – training gives a sense of normalcy when everything else is in upheaval. Plus, all that fitness will just continue to build for when we are able to race again!
Yes exactly!
I’ll always keep running, race or no race, but I have scaled back the distance lately. I do want to keep up my base though, so I’ll probably increase the distance a bit as we go along through this.
I hope to do the same! Right now my daily exercise is keeping me sane
As Dori always said….”just keep running”, right?! Hehe
Yes we have to!
Since Tokyo’s cancellation I’ve been keeping up with workout out, but obviously not training for anything big. Still, I’m in the (home) gym 4 – 5 days a week, which is pretty good for me. Stay healthy!
That is good and a great stress reliever too
YES! Honestly sticking to my running routine is keeping me sane right now. I keep telling my Hubby as long as I can keep getting outside to run, I’ll be ok!
Yes we will! stay well Julie
I love your perspective and positivity! You’re so encouraging! Thank you!
Thanks Leslie trying to look on the bright side of things
I am not training for any races this year, but I always exercise! With my gym closed, I have been working out at home!!
I am liking trying out new workouts at home
I’m with you there! Continuing training/exercising is important and a great way to stay sane right now! I really hope things go back to normal soon!
Oh me too!
Thanks for sharing this with us. I love that now we have extra time to train for other races. I know soon this will be over and we will be racing again. We just need to have patience and wait. Thank you for linking up with us!
I hope sooner rather than later!
I had two races cancelled/postponed and now I’ve been given the opportunity to ramp up my training a bit. I feel fortunate that I’m healthy and I’m able to run more now that I work from home.
That is definitely a plus you can take advantage of
Don’t mind me – I’m still playing catch up.
While I’m definitely content to keep running and am so glad I’m healthy enough to run through this, I can’t wrap my head around proper training. I’m settling for running every other day and PT and I’ll figure out the rest when we all come up for air. TBH, that probably would have been where I landed after Cherry Blossom so maybe I just sped the timeline up
That works too! I am just trying to keep up my base and keep moving forward
as my friend just said “Just keep swimming”