For most of the programmed I have been running every other day, but I am now thinking that it might be time to start taking a double rest day between the different weeks.
I had been making steady progress throughout the programme, and although I found WK6 R3 a bit of challenge I completed it without to much drama. However, I found WK7 R1 quite difficult even though it was the same duration as WK6 R3, to the point where it was a right slog to get around the same course. I took the usual days rest to find that WK7 R2 was even more difficult than the previous 2 runs.
On my last run I found that I had a fight with myself just to keep going. My legs felt like lead, and I had aches and pains from my ankles right up to my lower back. My calf muscles felt like they were going to cramp up at any second. I haven’t changed anything, and my pace recorded by Nike+ seems to be the same (covering about 4K running, and 5K with the warm up and warm down walk).
Now I have been fortunate to not have picked up any injuries to date, but listening to my body I would say that I am not too far off from picking one up. So I am slowly drawing the conclusion that an additional day of rest may be the best way to let my recover after these longer runs.
Has anyone else experienced the same? I would be grateful for any suggestions as I am committed to graduating, and it would be disastrous to pick up an injury at this stage...