Training

What to Do When You Miss a Run While Training for a Race

Even the most dedicated runners miss a training run here and there. Here's what to do and how you can update your training plan to stay on course.

Scan to
Download the App
Download the App

Regardless of the fact that you signed up for a race, you’re still human, with a schedule, conflicts, commitments, and limited energy. Even the fittest, most dedicated runners sometimes have to skip a training run or fit it in at another time. Which is to say: It’s okay, it happens. 

In the event that you miss a run during your training, it’s best to skip it and continue with your plan as written. Obviously, you don’t want to skip training runs left and right (if that happens, it’s a sign that you should review your schedule and see how you can adjust), but missing one run will not invalidate your training. Stick to the plan as best you can, increase your miles slowly, and take your recovery seriously. If you can do that, you’ll be ready on race day. 

While the training plans in the ASICS Runkeeper app cannot be edited, there are some workarounds that might help.

  • You can edit the individual dates for your current week of workouts. Learn how to do that here for iPhone and Android (see the section ‘Reschedule Your Workouts’).
  • You can skip ahead or behind by selecting a run from your full training plan view (in the Training tab on iPhone, click “Plan” in the top right; on Android, click the three lines in the top right of the “Training” screen and select “Full Plan”). You can then click into any workout and start it from there, regardless of when it’s scheduled.
  • You can also associate an activity with a workout training plan after completing it. Follow these steps to associate an activity with your personalized race training plan:
    • Go to your training tab and select the incomplete workout in your plan
    • Tap the “Mark As Complete” button
    • From here, you can log a new activity or select a previously completed activity from your history
    • Select the activity you want to associate with the plan, and you’re done!
    • Having trouble? Connect with us at support@runkeeper.com!
  • If you’re doing a My First 5K or My First 10K plan as part of the Runkeeper Guided Workouts, do so at your own pace! If one workout is still challenging, don’t be afraid to repeat it until you feel ready to move on to the next. Listen to your body Repeat it as many times as until you feel ready to move on. multiple time. In fact, we encourage it! Listen to your body.

For more on injuries and fitting runs into your schedule, check out these articles: