Wisdom is very useful when we exercise and run. It helps center us when we may want to deviate from a pathway or plan that is in our best interest. One frequently overlooked aspect of worldly wisdom is restraint. Some might call it caution and there is an element of self-control involved with it too. We have to keep our runs, workouts, and plans on a little bit of a leash or restraint so that we don’t overexert to cause injury/fatigue and possibly some major modifications in our activities and training plans. Let’s face it: generally speaking, we cannot run long and hard every day. If we do, we tend to cause fatigue or injury or even burnout (where runners lose our joy of running). It’s very challenging at times to know how much we can push the envelope of training without going too far. But there are indicators that can help with this. And common sense can guide us too. Running intuition sometimes just tells us: stop when it is actually correct and should be listened to/obeyed at least for that day.
When we talk about restraint, it can mean several things. It can mean curtailing the mileage to a bare minimum (or taking rest days as needed). Another sense is the pace. Slowing to a zone-2 (Maffetone aka MAF) pace for a run is one safe approach if things aren’t going well with an eye on shortening it.
Just as with running with dogs on the leash, we must restrain our dogs for their safety (and ours). So if my heart rate is elevated and I’m feeling fatigued on a run, I need to make some adjustments. For run-streakers, we frequently will just call it a “miler” day and run a mile (maybe slightly more) and call it a “rest(ful) day”. Sometimes it is useful to do something to drop our heart rate before we run or exercise if we know it is already high. Read a book, take a nap, meditate, listen to or play music: something to help you relax.
If you are planning on running with your dog, maybe shorten the dog run to a slow mile and then run solo after it if you feel strong enough to do so. Sometimes running with the dog is added stress just with all the changes in speed, direction, sudden stops, and unexpected dog circles. Sometimes when I do this I notice my heart rate is easier to control without running with the dog on the leash. Perhaps we are just automatically more cautious when we run with our dogs just to prevent danger as we know many of the hazards we can encounter from our own experience and the anecdotal experience of others.
Today was a restraint day for my running. Usually I run at least 5k (or more) daily as long as I have time/energy to do so. But today, things were just off. My heart rate was 5-10 beats higher than yesterday even though I slept well. Muscle cramps from yesterday’s longer run lingered. Some larger muscle groups can actually cause trouble for weeks unfortunately. That can make or break the difference between running a full or half-marathon. I was hoping to run on the treadmill but Misty wanted to run outside. So we ventured out for our run. By this time, I knew this was going to be a short one, maybe 2 miles at the most. I left Misty the option to shorten it to 1. We ran 10k together yesterday so we’re both a little more tired than usual. Taking several walk breaks, I tried to keep my heart rate in zone 2 as much as possible, trying to make this a Maffetone/MAF run. But my heart rate kept jumping upwards a little. And Garmin Fenix gave me the -2/fair heart rate warning. Then we walked a little more frequently and slowed down. I knew then this was probably just going to be a mile run. When we reached the park, I gave Misty a little slack on the leash and she pulled the leash towards home indicating this is a mile run and that’s it. It’s interesting that our dogs can even tell us that restraint is wise when we slacken the leash to ask for their input.
Air quality can cause some of us, especially those with chronic health conditions, to restrain our activities or move it indoors. I watch the air quality index daily and if it’s moderate or higher I just have to be more careful as an asthmatic.
Yes, it’s contrarian wisdom to slacken your activity on the last day of the month (for the last day of the year maybe it’s a different story). Many of us are focused on mileage targets for the month and that’s a good and valuable thing to have those targets and that focus. But preventing injury, fatigue and burnout is more important than the miles. “Junk miles” in running don’t really help us at all. By junk miles I mean we’re running when we know we should be resting (e.g. if we are injured) or taking the day off from running and cross-training maybe just with slow walking.
What benefits does restraint offer? Rest. Recovery. More peace of mind. Our muscles get an opportunity to heal. And our attitude about running and working out can be more positive if we aren’t overdoing it. I’ve written previously about the dangers of overtraining. Restraint keeps us from reaching that point. Find some safety valves to prevent the overtraining from occurring. Designate a miler day every week. Take days off if you need them. Our health is too important to endanger it by pushing too hard or too fast. Safety is more important.
When we are tired, we tend to be at greater danger of injury and illness. It’s best to recognize that and do something about it. For me, when I feel a low energy day, I tend to just tell myself “bag it” meaning wrap up the run and finish it early. Sometimes our family and friends can help us recognize if we are not restraining our exercise enough to be healthy. Activity is wonderful but if we don’t restrain in carefully in a wise, prudent manner, we can wander into injury, illness, and burnout.
It’s also smart to have a restful workout exercise day after a tough day, alternating hard:easy workouts. It allows a little recovery for the next tough workout. Sometimes it takes more than one day to recover from a tough run/workout day. So if you need more recovery/rest days, change the plan to allow for that. We must be flexible enough to be/remain healthy.
How do you restrain yourself when you want to run/exercise longer than you planned or run much faster than the plan? Pause. Stop. Ask: am I doing the right thing pushing/extending this workout here? Listen to your body. Your intuition is a valuable gift. Listen to it.
Even on shorter runs, it is very important to be seen and to illuminate our moving figure enough to keep us safe and our pets safe. One way of doing this is through Brilliant Reflective safety strips. Have you tried them? They come in various colors and in stick-on and iron-on varieties. These last a long time and are very helpful. Even on the dog’s leash. You can see Misty has some on her leash and I have some on my UnderArmour jacket and Nathan vest shown above and below. I like the added peace of mind of not having to worry if people/drivers/pets will see Misty and me as we run by them. If you’re interested in trying Brilliant, here’s their website: BrilliantReflective.com
If we see dangers and hazards on the roads/trails, we need to take steps to restrain and protect ourselves. We may take a different route. Stop and call for help if needed. Or shorten the run/workout to ensure that you are safe at all times. Let people know where you are running so our loved ones have the peace of mind knowing when we will be home and where we are if they need to reach us.
Yes, I agree it’s very tough sometimes to restrain the length or intensity of our runs, but it pays dividends today and tomorrow to be wise and prudent and listen to our athletic/running intuition. If we don’t listen, our bodies can react with pain, inflammation, and oxidative stress. And if our body says stop due to pain/injury, stop and take the time to rest, heal, and recover. Holistic health is wealth. Sometimes that means holding back when we don’t want to just to keep things on an even keel of predictability.
How do you keep your runs on a leash? Hopefully this has given you some answers. If you have more ideas with us on restraint to heighten safety and prevent injuries, please share them with us. Thanks for listening. Happy healthy trails!
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