3 weeks not running

I am off on holiday for 3 weeks from tomorrow . I've built my fitness up over months , currently running 10k in about 46 mins, I've got the running bug! 

 

I won't be doing any exercise at all on holiday plus I will be drinking a few pints most days . I have a 10k booked a week after I get back . Realistically , how much fitness will I lose?

 

thanks 

Comments

  • I would say up to two weeks - very little.

    Three is pushing it. Plus with extra drinking - you'll put on weight.

    Every lb you put on will slow you down by around 12 seconds.

    I'd keep as active as you can if you can't run - walking ? Cycling ? Swimming any use ?
  • thanks for the reply. Fair point, I may do a fair bit of swimming which should help and try to cut down on the beers

  • Mr BoatMr Boat ✭✭✭

    Every time I've been on holiday even though I've maintained about 40 mpw whilst away I've always been terrible if I've got a race within a week of coming home.

  • Not a great plan not to do any excercise at all - depends on the person, but three weeks doing nothing and drinking will affect you quite alot - especially with a race coming up and getting your 10k down near to that 40 min barrier!

    Rule of thumb for most athletes (from a very well respected coach..) - two weeks off shouldn't affect you that much, but every week after that counts as double. So three weeks could feel like a month off.

    Varies between people though - being an old git V40, even a week off affects me image

  • all very interesting . I think I'm going to do a fair whack of swimming when I'm out there and perhaps eat healthier than normal . I'm sure the 10k will be fine but I was hoping for a pb, maybe a bit over ambitious ! I just don't want to lose my fitness that's taken ages to build up. Unfortunately the hotel doesn't have a treadmill . 

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    if you want to keep things ticking over, and assuming you are going on a beach type holiday why not take your runners and find maybe 30 minutes 3 times a week for a trot up a coastal path or along the beach?

    I go to lanzarote once or twice a year for a week at a time and try and squeeze 2 x 1 hour slow runs in. It just makes me feel better about eating out and drinking every night which i am not prepared to compromise on for what is a hobbyimage

  • Sure you'll be fine Marc - just try and keep things ticking over. Some good advice on here.

    If you have had an easy night, just hammer a sesson the next morning - makes the beer feel earnt!

  • Im in the same boat as you Marc, except my fitness isnt as good..

    Im planning on swimming a lot, going for a few beach runs in the early mornings/ evenings and taking a skipping rope. Its small and easy to pack and may not be as good as running but it will give me some peace of mind to do 30-45mins per day..

  • I have indeed thought about sneaking my running trainers in but don't think my girlfriend would be impressed. However a beach run sounds good. I will try to sneak them into the case 

     

    Cheeys guys 

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I think if you were going for a 3 day city break fair enough, but as you are away 3 weeks its not unreasonable to put them in. When i go away for a week i plan the build up so that i have trained relatively hard the few days before so that perhaps the first 2 days would have been rest days anyway then run on days 3 and 5 and get back to normal first day back. That way you have not missed a great deal.

    I would be managing expectations now so she gets used to the idea of what you will be doing a few timesimage

  • I assume she knows you run and enjoy it so would she really object if you trotted off for an hour a couple of times a week?  It's not like you are asking to run every day for several hours image 

    I always take my trainers when we go away, and get up a bit early a couple of days during the week and go off for a little trot.  It can be a great way to find something unexpected to visit later in the local area, and as I live somewhere pretty flat it's usually a great way to get some hills in!  Just plot routes before you go or get good advice from the staff at the hotel about where to go, getting lost can be an intersting experience!! image

  • Mr BoatMr Boat ✭✭✭

    I usually drag myself up at about 7 and get straight out. Doesn't affect the family and you get to experience a beautiful part of the world you wouldn't ordinarily run in at first light without anyone around. I have had a couple of dodgy moments with guard dogs in Turkey though; just don't make eye contact ;o) . When I'm on a good run of training and not injured my OCD won't let me miss a session, where ever I am.

  • Defo will be packing my running trainers now . Look forward to running somewhere different . That's the thing , I've been injury free for ages. I've gone from 55 mins 10k's to hoping to get around 45 so want to keep it up.

    cheers

  • Another vote for running on holiday - 3 weeks as said above is too long without any training if you want to race afterwards. Running in the early morning is a small sacrifice to make a couple of times a week and it will make you feel better about eating a big breakfast after too!

  • Bionic Ironwolf wrote (see)

    Running in the early morning is a small sacrifice to make a couple of times a week and it will make you feel better about eating a big breakfast after too!

    Must admit I usually use it to justify extra bacon and sausages!! image

  • Marc, take the trainers , in Puerto Rico last year I regularly ran about 4 miles out and back to investigate a nice restaurant area , my family were very appreciative, and on my trip I met a good friend from Wales who came over and we ran the Dublin Marathon together, your a runner don't make it an issue, my friend and I are running Palma later this year image

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