I got sick in my training block, what do I do?

How should I adjust my training after being sick and taking a week off?

Ah, the classic conundrum: you’ve been sick and missed a week of training, now what? Do you try to squeeze in everything you missed, or do you let it go and move forward? The short answer: it depends. But before we dive into the details, let me remind you of something important: getting sick happens. It’s normal, and the best thing you can do is give your body the rest it needs. Pushing through illness can prolong your recovery and even put your health at risk. So be kind to yourself. Your training and race goals are still totally achievable, Queen!

Now, as a coach (and someone who’s been there too), let’s break down a few scenarios and how I’d approach them for myself or for you, if I were coaching you through a training block.

When You Get Sick During a Training Block

Getting sick mid-training, especially with a race on the horizon is super common. Hard training puts stress on your body, and sometimes that leaves you more vulnerable to illness. So if this is happening to you, you're not alone.

The key to adjusting your plan comes down to two things:

1. How far out is your race?
2. What distance are you training for?

Marathon & Half Marathon

Let’s start with the longer distances. Marathon and half marathon training typically includes a 2-week taper before race day. So if you’re within that 2-week window, take a deep breath, release the guilt about missed runs, and simply return to your regular schedule. Cramming in missed long runs or hard sessions this close to race day won’t help, it’ll likely just leave you fatigued.

But, if you’ve got more than 2 weeks until race day (say you’re in week 12 of a 16-week plan), you’ve got some room to work with. In that case, you can swap a missed peak long run or speed session into the current week’s schedule. No need to double up, just adapt. You’re not making up for lost time, you’re optimizing the time you still have. The same logic applies for half marathon training.

5K & 10K

For shorter races like the 5K and 10K, the taper is closer to 1 week. So, if you missed a key workout but still have more than a week until race day, go ahead and sub that in for your planned hard session or long run this week. Again, don’t try to do it all, just make a smart swap and keep things moving forward.

Final Thoughts

It’s tough when training gets interrupted, but in most cases, it’s not as catastrophic as it feels. In fact, a week off can sometimes be the reset your body needed, especially in a sport as physically demanding as running. If you’ve been consistent in your training, one missed week won’t derail your progress.

Training is about consistency over time, not perfection. So if you’re sick right now, let your body rest. Adjust your plan where it makes sense. Keep your eyes on the goal ahead. You’re a badass b****, and one bump in the road won’t stop you.