Sudden slowness

Iron supplements will take 2-3 months, at least, to show a significant effect on performance. And if you're trying to run too hard during hot weather, it's going to drag out the recovery further. Take it easy for a few weeks and let your system recover.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad news but my doctor, after consulting with a hematologist has told me to stop taking iron supplements as I now have too much iron (my 1%sat is 66% which is high). However, my HCT (hermatocrit) is even lower now than last time at 40.2%, and my ferritin is only at 16ng/ml which is lower than it should be. I guess this means that it must be a combination of psychological effects and the weather. That seems to be good news if when I go back to college I suddenly get better and I don't have to do anything special. However, if its mostly psychological then I don't really know how one overcomes that.

I would suggest good old-fashioned overtraining. Check the symptoms. If you are not enjoying your runs like you used to both mentally and physically, it's a possibility. Overtraining is a serious problem, and you need to rest even if it feels like ruining everything, because the alternative is even worse!

The only other thing I can think of is generally something undermining your health, an infection somewhere or an allergy, something in the diet or environment, could be anything.

Get a full panel of blood tests. I went through the same thing and it turned out to be Lyme Disease.

Just wanted to give you guys an update. So it seems like I was indeed just being a bitch as now that I am back at school I am able to sustain much faster average paces than I was during the summer. Its crazy how much the mind can trick you. Lesson learned though. Thanks for your guys help and encouragement.