Introduction
This morning didn’t turn out as planned. You guessed it, a missed workout.
I had a long run on the schedule, but apparently my body decided more sleep was necessary rather than getting out of bed.
When I finally woke up, it was late, the “feels like” temperature was already pushing 90 degrees, and my run wasn’t happening.
Boy, do I miss my treadmill when I travel.
If you’ve ever trained for a race, I’m willing to bet you’ve experienced something similar. A missed workout can feel much bigger than it actually is, especially when you’re working toward a goal.
The old me would have started beating myself up for missing a run. But here are some truths I’ve learned along the way.
The Immediate Reaction
When you finally get out of bed and realize you’ve missed your workout, a lot of thoughts can start running through your mind.
- Frustration that you didn’t just get up and do the run.
- Disappointment in yourself.
- Feeling like you’re falling behind.
- Wondering if you’ve somehow ruined your training plan.
You may even convince yourself you’ve ruined your entire training cycle.
While those feelings are valid, they aren’t necessarily true.
The Old Me
To be honest with you, the old me would have handled this very differently.
I would have declared the entire week a wash. (It’s only Sunday, by the way.)
Maybe I would have felt guilty and blown my diet with a tub of ice cream. After all, I’d already missed my run.
I probably would have tried to squeeze an extra long run into my schedule somewhere this week.
Or I may have spiraled and missed even more workouts because I slept through one alarm.
Funny how one missed workout can sometimes turn into several if we let our emotions take over.
The New Me
But I’m not that person anymore.
Sleeping through one alarm does not erase days, weeks, or months of training.
I know now that even though I missed this morning’s run, I’m still showing up for myself. Consistency matters far more than one missed workout.
One thing I’ve learned through training and researching running over 50 is that sleep and recovery are part of the process.
Sometimes your body needs rest.
The key is listening to your body without turning one missed workout into a habit.
Looking at the Big Picture After a Missed Workout
Instead of focusing on one missed workout, let’s look at the bigger picture.
This week I drove across several states to visit family.
I’ve already completed two good workouts.
For someone traveling and spending time with family, I think that’s a pretty good week.
Fitness isn’t built overnight.
And it certainly isn’t destroyed overnight.
One missed workout doesn’t erase the work you’ve already done.
Don’t let one missed run convince you to quit.
What I’m Doing Instead
Just because I missed my run doesn’t mean I’m calling the day a wash.
I’m still going to continue with the training schedule I had planned for the upcoming week.
This afternoon I’m planning to do a yoga workout on my mom’s lanai. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place to enjoy something quiet and rewarding.
I may substitute a longer run for one of the shorter runs I had scheduled later this week, but I’ll see how things play out.
The important thing is not to make emotional decisions because of one missed workout.
You’re a whole person with a whole life.
Training should fit into your life, not make you miserable when life happens.
The Lesson
The old me would have started spiraling and mentally rewritten my entire training schedule before I’d even finished my coffee.
Around our house we’d say that’s not a good plan. No bueno.
Life happens.
The important thing is to learn from it, adjust if necessary, and keep moving forward.
A missed workout is only a problem if it becomes the reason you stop altogether.
Closing Thoughts
So if you slept through your run this morning, let me reassure you:
One missed workout does not define your training.
One missed workout does not determine whether you’ll reach your goal.
What matters is showing up again tomorrow.
Keep showing up.
Keep moving forward.
And I’ll see you at the finish line.