Missed a training day? What to do next
Short answer
Skip it and pick up the next scheduled session. Do not squeeze the missed run into the next day or double up. One missed day costs you nothing; cramming two into one is how injuries start.
Key points
- One missed session makes no real difference to your race.
- Never double up to catch up.
- After a week or more off, restart a little lighter than where you stopped.
One or two days
Carry on with the plan as written. If you missed the long run, you can move it a day or two if the next days are easy, but not to the day before a hard session.
A week or more
Fitness fades slowly, but it does fade. Restart with the week before the one you missed and build back from there. If you were ill, give yourself a few easy days first.
Illness
Rest if you have a fever, chest symptoms or aching muscles. With a mild head cold, an easy run is usually fine if you feel up to it.
In your plan
Your plan does not change itself when you miss a day. If you miss more than a few sessions, edit your plan: it rebuilds the remaining weeks from where you are now.
When to talk to a professional
Do not run with a fever, chest pain or shortness of breath. After an illness like that, ease back in gradually, and talk to a doctor if symptoms linger.
Related questions
Why are rest days part of the plan?
Because fitness is built while you recover, not while you run. Training is the signal; rest is when your body responds to it. Rest days also lower the risk of the overuse injuries that end many training plans.
Read the full answerWhy should easy runs feel slow?
Because most of your fitness comes from running easy, often. An easy run should let you talk in full sentences. Running it harder makes you more tired without making you much fitter.
Read the full answerDoes missing one day ruin a habit?
No. In the best-known study of habit formation, missing a single day did not materially affect how the habit developed. What matters is getting back to it at the next opportunity.
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