We know that this part of year can get nutty (and we’re not talking about strange desserts that you don’t see outside of December). Life can become a blur of parties, travel, and the inevitable pre-holiday scrambling to get everything done, not to mention all the work that doesn’t begin until the big day is over.
Well this is also the time of year when you need to really keep a handle on your training. Whether you joined us for our New Year’s push and are just getting ready to cross the finish line or are somewhere else in your training, success sometimes hinges on making it from here to January without getting sidetracked.
Right now it’s just too easy to let a missed workout become two missed workouts and the next thing you know, it’s the middle of winter and you are hibernating on the couch wondering what went wrong. Time flies at the end of the year, so sticking to a training groove is perhaps more important than ever.
So what can you do to make sure that you’re still going strong come January?
Keep perspective. You’re busy. It’s hard enough to stay on top of everything without worrying about squeezing workouts in. Remember, a missed run or a rescheduled workout is only a big deal if you let it derail your training. Remember, Bluefin programs are flexible enough to withstand juggling the schedule around a little bit. If a given workout just isn’t going to happen, don’t worry. Push it to tomorrow. Repeat a week if you have to. Whatever you do, don’t let a missed run mean you throw in the towel on the whole program.
Decompress (with your running shoes on). Stress, stress, stress, busy, busy, stress. If you feel like the season is piling up on you, remember that running is your friend — not your enemy — when it comes to managing stress. If finding time to work out is causing you additional anxiety, remember that getting out there and blowing off some steam is going to pay dividends in term of managing your stress level overall. Thirty minutes of running can do wonders for how you are feeling about whatever has you rattled, leaving you better equipped to manage the season.
Make a post-holiday date. This can be with a friend, a running group, or just an appointment on your own calendar. If you feel like the days are getting away from you, plan some time early next week — think Monday/Tuesday — and commit to a workout. There’s some comfort in knowing that no matter how crazy things get in the coming days, there is a run waiting for you on the other side. You’ll know that even if you don’t have time to run tomorrow or the next day, you’ll be back on track by the middle of next week. Sometimes offloading that missed-workout anxiety and planning a day to regroup can make all the difference in how you feel about your training.
Happy running and happy holidays!
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