Happy New Year Everyone!
Back before Christmas I posted in my running forum once again, this time from an "expert" perspective. In the Beginners section of the forum their was a question from a fellow beginner that read:
Do any of you guys intentionally take a week off or more from running? Just for mental and physical recovery reasons? I'm thinking of doing so but somehow feel really guilty over it and think I'll become a fat slob.
There had been several responses to this post, most agreeing that taking a week off is a great and necessary thing to do. A few intense runners said instead of taking a week off they just cut back on mileage (crazies!). I have actually had this conversation with personal trainers and physical therapists before so I chose to respond, since I felt I had some authority on the topic. I wrote:
I have had several personal trainers advocate for taking a whole week off intentionally. One suggested that if you feel the need to work out still you could take walks, swim, or do low impact yoga. These activities can help heal injured muscles and give you the mental release of exercise. While my week off usually coincides with a vacation or a minor injury, I do hope to truly set an intention for a week off. As difficult as the return to running can be, doing these light exercises can support your fitness In the long run.
I have waited this long to comment on my post in this blog because I was waiting to see if I anyone would reply to me. Instead, I realized that most posts in this thread were only in response to the original writer, with only a few people responding to others suggestions. I also found it interesting that I was the third to last person to post on this thread. Soon after my post, the thread sort of died off, unlike other threads that people frequently write to, like the one I posted in previously about running 10ks.
I found that once again the forum showed positive digital citizenship. Most people posting in this thread were encouraging to the original writer, telling her that rest is important and her body needs it. With the competitive nature of many of these runners it was nice to see that people were responding with compassion and encouragement to this runner's desire to take a bit of time off. I think for my next post in the running forum I will take a page from this writer's book and post my own question in a separate thread to the beginner's forum to see if I receive support and suggestions from my fellow runners. Stay tuned to see if I receive any responses this time :)
That is awesome you are getting some responses. I bet it makes you feel good because I know I have been a little frustrated with my forum because of the lack of responses. I have tried posting on thread instead of creating my own post, so we will see how that goes. I love that you are finding your forum to be encouraging with positive digital citizen ship. Sadly, most people these days try to get a rise out of people for no reason, so it's exciting to see you are having a good experience and your fellow posters helpful.
ReplyDeleteI definitely empathize with the lack of response to posts, as I have experienced that in my forum. I have noticed a similar trend on my forum of most comments being made to the original poster. I have to start a thread on in my forum, but I may try to do that next week. I am encouraged by the positive digital citizenship that you have seen taking place in your forum.
ReplyDeleteI found the post you responded to very funny. The person asking if they would be a fat slob for taking off running for a week sounds like an insecure person who is just hungry for attention. Similar to the facebook posts from girls who look super cute and say "oh this is a bad picture of me!" and then 36 people proceed to tell her how pretty she looks. Honestly, do they think people are going to say yep if you don't run for a week you are a fat slob! Your response was very helpful to them though. I think I would have been forced to call them out, being anonymous and all :)
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