How long can I be off the programme without losing fitness?

[Norni]

Feeling sorry for myself as I have a heavy cold and am too poorly to run. Managed to two twenty minute runs whilst on holiday last week, plus skiing (only gentle stuff)but I'm worried that I am going to lose the little bit of fitness I have gained. I should be on week six, so it is very frustrating. Don't want to lose my mojo either....how long can I go before I will have to start again? Can you hear the panic in my voice?

[vitabrevis Graduate]

Don't worry at all. Two injuries (not enough stretching after runs - stupid of me) meant it took me over two months to get past week six, but I just started again at week 5 R3 (roughly where you are, I guess) with no problem. And now as a recent graduate, I've been away with no running, just some swimming, for 4 weeks and just did my first run (Laura's speed training of 16mins) again yesterday with no problem. You'll be pleased when you do get back and realise that the fitness doesn't fade away so quickly...

[Poppy2010 Graduate]

I agree with the above answer - I got to week 4, was in a car crash ( daughter wrote off her car), had severe bruising to chest from seatbelt and whiplash, then a week later had an operation ( not related to car crash) which was a total mess up as the surgeon didn't read my notes, then got an infection; anyway, four weeks without running, restarted at week3, did a couple of them and was very surprised to manage fine so then moved on to week 4 with no problems.

A bout of tonsilitus gave me another 12 day break after New Year- haven't felt so ill in years! After that went back one run, did that then moved on.as normal. It seems it's fine to miss a few runs but the residual fitness stays in your system!

Good luck on healing and getting back to running!

[Norni Graduate]

Thanks guys,that's very reassuring.

[greenlegs Graduate]

I wouldn't be too surprised if you find you've hardly lost any fitness - even gentle skiing is pretty good exercise for the thigh muscles!

Hope you're feeling fully fit very soon.

[Norni Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Thanks, sorry to hear you have overdone it lately. Gently, gently. Looking forward to better weather and fewer colds etc...

[Cazvs Graduate]

I read somewhere that you start to lose fitness after 10 days, not sure how accurate it is though. I had (very minor) surgery recently and was out for nearly 3 weeks, I went back from W8 to W7 and was fine. I've also had a couple of weeks off with flu early on and this week I've got a bad cold so haven't been out.

If you've had a break then I would just go out with no pressure on yourself to finish a particular week and see how you do. Better to ease yourself back in gently than injure yourself by pushing yourself too hard.

[Norni Graduate]

Thanks for your comments, greenlegs and cazvs. Still feeling rough but hopefully won't be long before I can get back out there.....good luck!