Overtrained and tired - I just ran the worst race of my life. help me

So the question is this:

What do I do now?

Take some total easy days? Train on normally, but 25% reduced?

I have no big races until 3 weeks from now

I heard a lydiard idea where he had his guys run 3 hours very easy to get over staleness

I don't think I am anemic, I eat a lot of steak. I don;t feel overly tired in school, I get a lot of sleep.

To my knowledge, my weight has not changed recently

help me out, thank you

I was in the exact same situation as you. Best thing to do is to take it easy over the next week. If it were me I'd take 2 days off completely. Then just run 30 min's next couple days after that and then work up from there but DON'T go back to 85-90 MPW. Drop the doubles for now. LISTEN to you body as everyone is different. You may need more recovery than that or that may do it.

Good luck.

I was in the situation a few months ago in a race that was important to me. My legs were dead on the starting line and I was just so tired from the training that a pace that should have been very easy made my legs very tired. My breathing was fine though.

Describe the fatigue. Was it in your legs? Was it your breathing? If it was your legs then just take a couple days OFF. This will make your mileage for the week 50 or less but SO WHAT? 85 mile weeks are nice but if they cause you to race like crap then they are counterproductive. There is a difference between training through early meets and being too trashed to run decently.

The fatigue was totally in my legs. They were aching as I ran, and I could not get them to respond and go faster. My breathing was fine.

Thank you for the responses so far

Thats what I figured. You just have a small case of the plods. Take a day off completely, maybe two.

Was it your quads or hamstrings? Either way it is probably an imbalance in your stride or overstriding from your form deteriorating.

My advice is if on your next run they don't feel good after a mile or two, you need another day off. Keep trying until you feel good. Cut out the doubles for now. Drop down to 70 miles a week or less. What are your 400/800 prs?

You're side stepping the speed training you need to get ready.

Yes, you need some light days here (your glycogen stores must be chronically low pushing these totals) but you might find you feel better cutting back some and working in the higher gears, for example 15x200m 35 on 90" Some workouts in the pool would be useful if you are sure you are a slow twitch kinda guy, and determined to train through this.

Either way, let go of the mindset that stamina will solve all of your problems. It's a 9-10' race, so you also need to get the lead out. That's why we see guys like Derrick or Fernandez succeeding on humble mileage and solid quality. Give your slow fiber a day off sometime. They'll thank you. When you come up short, sometimes it takes two days to recover the energy supply.

Sounds like you need a foam roller too, but that will only buy you some time if you don't adjust your training.

you have a good base. now time to drop down in mileage to 50-60, since you have only another month or so in the season, and sharpen the speed. go hard day, easy day, hard day, easy day, or easy as needed to get the legs fresh. an ice bath for the legs, plus LIGHT massage, will help with the tired legs. canova also supports the 3hr easy, easy run (as slow as 9 min miles), having thought that an hour would do but his kenyan runners would need three. for you probably an hour would do. that 3200m was an anomaly for you. and remember not to do four speed workouts in a week if your legs are getting tired from it.

Eliminate the long runs completely.

bump, thank you

highschooltwomiler wrote:

Hi. I'm an HS junior, ran ~16:30 5k in cross, looking to go 4:25/9:35 this year in track

Ok. So all winter I ran base. Averaged 80 miles a week, 3 weeks were over 90, usually 4 or 5 doubles, with a long run ranging from 13-17 miles... Mileage was usually 7:00 pace

I'd definately slow down my mileage pace if I were you - probably by a minute per mile or more.

Take a day or two off, but no more than two. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Eat properly, don't junk out, and fluid up. Cut your long run in half. First day after the two days off, run easy for 30 minutes on soft surface, then do some pickup striders, see if there is any frisk in your legs. If there is, resume training, only cut your mileage in about half and focus on doing more interval work, maybe even a hill workout now and again. If your legs aren't frisky after the 3rd-day striders, run for 20 minutes the next day, then try them again. If OK, resume training per above, if not, then do 10 minutes the next day, then striders. If your legs are still dead by now, you may have some kind of problem, iron deficiency maybe, but something - see a doctor. If you're back training by now, then just watch your weight (with the reduction in mileage), relax, enjoy your season, and when you're not running, read a good book or do something else relaxing and not running-related so you can take your mind off of track. Sometimes, poor times can be mentally stressful and you just want to forget about the times you've run so far, better ones are just ahead. You should be strong as on ox after all the mileage you have put in. Now go take advantage of it. Good luck.

coachBAP wrote:I'd definately slow down my mileage pace

"definitely"

Hey, this works! I just checked in my logbooks and weeks with 4 or more doubles but no run over 7 or 8 miles are the weeks I feel best, even though they are usually harder weeks in terms of mileage and average speed. I guess fatigue increases exponentially-so a 20 miler is actually 4x as tiring a ten miler?

Who'd a thunk it?

what advice did your coach give?

if you are training for 1600,3200 you do not need that much mileage. I would stay around 50-60 and instead of running 7 min pace knock it down to 6:30 pace and start doing harder workouts. I mean you did impressive mileage but the fastes tempo you did was at 6 minute pace? If you want to run 4:25 and 9:35 you have to run repeat 800's under 2:20, 400's at 65ish, and mile repeats under 5 mins.

So bring down the mileage and start running hard workouts.

malmo wrote:

Who'd a thunk it?

Did anyone tell Lydiard about this? Most of the schedules I've seen go something like

14/15/18/12/15/10/20-A few weeks ago I tryed this and did a 15,18 and 20 miler in a week. Had to take the other days off. Still felt terrible for about 10 days after that.

Is there a point where you get so good at running that 2X10=20 in terms of stress? Or are doubles always better even for guys that have been doing high mileage for years?

Alright dude, for serious, what happened to me last time I overtrained was I pushed through it for a month and a half and I got a stress reaction in my knee and I had to take a month off entirely from running/working out. You've been great with the high mileage, but its time to drop. During your base when you aren't doing intense workouts, you're SUPPOSED to being doing high miles; that you did. Now that you're doing intervals and reps on the track its time to drop your volume. Its a basic principle of running (to the majority of guys). If you;ve been averaging ~80, you need to drop down to at most 65 to be able to handle your intervals/reps/faster threshold. I think you ARE overtrained that the moment, but its not insurmountable. If you take a down week this week (50-60 miles, mostly easy running, 1-2 workouts MAX.), and you listen to your body I think you can still achieve your goals.

My goals are also 4:25/9:30 (but I'm a senior), and I've averaged 70mpw for the last 10 weeks. I understand that the high mileage NOW is ALSO intended to make you have a monster XC season, but you need to cool it. Your intensity is now high, and your body is simply overloaded. I've been reading your logs, and you put in a monster amount of aerobic base... Now its time for you to drop the miles significantly, work on your speed, peak, and then you can bring the miles back up over the summertime. Good luck.

Cuerpo wrote:

Alright dude, for serious, what happened to me last time I overtrained was I pushed through it for a month and a half and I got a stress reaction in my knee and I had to take a month off entirely from running/working out. You've been great with the high mileage, but its time to drop.

High mileage? You're joking aren't you?