It’s a Workout, Not a Race

I’m reading Scott Douglas’s book The Little Red Book of Running (Little Red Books), and I thought I’d share a piece which I think is appropriate for those who are under the strange misunderstanding that their exercise sessions have to be “perfect”.

“The purpose of any workout, even the hardest, is to advance your fitness toward a performance goal. That means, a measured effort that’s hard enough to provide the desired stimulus, but not so hard that you’re so trashed that the next few days of running are a waste. Elite runners go to the well seldom if ever in their training; they save their racing for the races. You should finish training with more in the tank.”

All this boils down to the fact that your workouts should be physically challenging, but they shouldn’t leave you crippled for days. Trainers that pride themselves on sending new clients home crippled for days are the ones you should avoid. My goal is to give my clients a tremendous workout that takes them to the brink = and then I let them off the hook before they’re apt to be miserably sore or sick. Your workouts should be hard, they also should be designed so that you have both the energy and capacity to exercise again the next day. Aim for challenging. Don’t aim for perfect. Perfect is boring anyways.

**The Little Red Book of Running (Little Red Books) is ideal for those who want to become runners and those who already run, but could use some expert advice getting better.