Do not underestimate the impact of a hard workout day on your entire week of exercise. Coming off a 20-mile run on Saturday, my legs struggled to recover all week. The day after my 20 miler, Sunday, I felt fine and hit cycling at a moderate effort – it was subsequent days that suffered.  In hindsight, I should have rested Sunday, but alas – I did not. I pulled back immensely on Tuesday, and Thursday was the best I could do at a rest day, given my job. If I could skip a class, sometimes I would. In fact, I did on Friday – I subbed out one of my strength and interval classes.

I should know better too. I witness this pattern often in clients:  You do a hard workout – call it a long 10 to 15 mile run on Saturday. You rest Sunday and then try to hit it hard again on Monday, but find that you have no power and feel like a slug. This is a huge indicator that you did not rest enough and should take the next day off.  Instead, I find people try to hit it hard again on Tuesday to make up for their perceived poor effort on Monday only to feel frustrated again because they cannot get the power and quality out of the workout. And, so, the week goes. Day after day, no power, frustration and junkie workouts. Sometimes, one rest day is not enough – even for the most committed and strong.

Week of March 27^th -April 2^nd

Sunday

Cycling: taught and participated in 60-minute class. Kept my heart rate at about 70 percent of max.

Yoga: taught and participated in the majority of a vinyasa flow class.

Monday

Tempo Run: 5 miles. Had little juice for this one, struggled at only a fraction of goal pace.

Cycling: taught and participated in interval-based, 60-minute class. Heart rate alternated between 65 and 80 percent of max, but my legs were very fatigued.

Yoga-Pilates Fusion: Taught and participated in about 80 percent of hour-long class.

Tuesday

Strength/Interval Training Class: Used 15-lb. and 8-lb. dumbbells for core-based workout. Skipped all cardio bursts and laid off the legs

Interval Class: Participated in about 50 percent of cardio/weight workout.

Wednesday

Cycling: taught and participated in 60-minute endurance ride. Kept heart rate between 70 and 80 percent of max.

Yoga: taught and participated in 70 percent of 2 yoga classes: an hour-long basics and a 45-minute flow class

Pilates: taught and participated in 1 hour of Pilates.

Run: 7 mile intervals – 12 ¼-mile repeats. Another poor choice, ran through the Briargate neighborhood – can you say HILLS?

Thursday

Kickboxing – Taught and participated in about 20 percent of class for one hour.

Interval class – participated in about 40 percent of strength/cardio intervals for one hour. Used very light weights.

Pilates: taught and participated in 80 percent of 1-hour class.

Friday

Yoga: taught and participated in 80 percent of 1-hour flow class.

Run: 15 miles. Heavy legs, so a slow pace.

Boot Camp: taught and participated in 60 minute class alternating strength and blasts of cardio. Gave it 80 percent of my effort; this hurt.

Saturday

Boot Camp: taught and participated in 60-minute boot camp class focused on cardio drills with very short strength intervals, about 80 percent effort.

Ride n’ Stride: taught and participated in 30-minutes of this class combining indoor cycling with treadmill training. Rode at 70 percent of heart rate for 30 min.

Pilates: taught and participated in 70 percent of a 30-minute class.