Have you ever overtrained?

When I was younger, I did. Several times, since I wanted to try my limits. And of course it was a bad idea. Once I've ended up in hospital :)

Teh AB wrote:

Have you ever been overtrained?

If so, how long did it take to recover? How did it happen? Too much volume? Intensity? And what did you do to bounce back?

I think this could be a very good, informative thread.

Some random thoughts from having run for over 30 years and coaching a bunch of young guys, probably in the LRC median posters age group...

-There is a magic bullet to avoid overtraining..... forget about your watch when you can and run more at feel....

-Most runners confuse recovery runs with general aerobic runs... so are never fully recovered before next hard session, and the cycle goes on and on... there is no shame running a recovery run SLOW

-Take a week off (i.e reduce intensity) every three/four weeks - easier said than done but does work wonder....

Food x thought...

Goal was sub 1:10 half. Ran 120+ mpw with two workouts per week, in high heat.

After a while, I started to struggle to hit paces/times. My heart rate increased at rest, and during runs. I developed nonspecific pain throughout my whole body when I ran- the faster I tried to run, the more my body hurt. After a while, I was struggling to slog through three or four miles at a time. I was tired all the time, yet had trouble sleeping.

This’s was in 2015. I don’t know that I ever really recovered. I’ve tried building back up, but can’t seem to handle much over 40mpw, can barely even touch my PR marathon pace, and have had problems with PF and stress fractures.

Yay

Teh AB wrote:

Have you ever been overtrained?

If so, how long did it take to recover? How did it happen? Too much volume? Intensity? And what did you do to bounce back?

I think this could be a very good, informative thread.

This past summer I was marathon training in high heat and humidity, and likely wasn't recovering. I never got injured persay, but only a month removed from the marathon, I can see where the volume, relative for myself during the brutal summer months might have been a bit much. I am no warm weather runner, give me the cold. No regrets though, my recovery from the marathon went pretty well and 2 weeks post 26.2 I hit a 5k PR. Time to enjoy some fall trail running and get back on the marathon wagon after the holidays.

Teh AB wrote:

Have you ever been overtrained?

If so, how long did it take to recover? How did it happen? Too much volume? Intensity? And what did you do to bounce back?

I think this could be a very good, informative thread.

I did overtrain. I ran too much and became tired.

I did also have insomnia. But that was from sleeping with my boss's wife, and he found out she was cheating, but didn't know with who.

I don’t know if you’re still on these message boards. But what you described above is she here madness. If your coach asked you to train that way, he or she should be put in jail for malpractice. I am only slightly kidding. I can’t believe a coach actually believing that an athlete could maintain such a pace, including five workouts a week, without succumbing to illness and injury almost immediately.

I've overtrained twice before.

First one is too much volume too soon. I've always done high mileage and it did not hurt me but for one month I had tons of free time. Been a teenager who doesn't know better I went berserk and utilized the time as much as possible - doing the same mileage and adding 1 hr of hard aerobic cross-training every day. Since I ran doubles, I was training pretty much three times a day most days. I got insanely fit but I also felt very weird. Every night I would go to bed at 10 and sometimes still be awake at 1. For two to three hours every night, I would just lie in bed listening to the slow, heavy and loud thump of my heart at 35 bpm. I was tired and slightly sick most of the time. On my runs and cross-training, I have to push extremely hard to get my heart rate up - I was very fit but my breathing and heart rate just wouldn't go up no matter how hard I pushed. Took a break after that month and ran PRs.

The second time was too much intensity and track work. It all boils down to bad coaching. I ran hard, anaerobic, lactic intervals 5 days a week such as 6 x 300m, 8 x 200m and 2 x (800m ,400m). I was pretty much doing race efforts every day. After every training session my legs are absolutely smashed, i was constantly tired and felt sick all the time. After 5 weeks of this i got a hamstring injury and couldn't do intervals any more. I went back to aerobic runs and figured out that my aerobic ability was pretty much gone. Was out of breath at 8-minute miles and can only tempo at 7 minute mile pace for the first several weeks. Before the track season i would do a 10-mile tempo in 55 every week.

Wise words!

Over the last 22 weeks I've worked my way up from zero to 64 mpw. I was extremely cautious with mileage increases, but still began to exhibit over-training symptoms twice.

Early on I jumped from 31 to 50 mpw and immediately had insomnia and heart palpitations at night. I backed off for 3 days and the symptoms vanished.

Then, after a particularly difficult week, in which I ran hard 3 times (TT, progressive long run, tempo) I found myself completely without energy and unable to run faster than 8 minute miles on runs. I'd describe it as similar to the "bonk" feeling during a marathon or long run, except i would feel it during my first mile. That feeling continued for 5 days and than vanished after I dropped mileage.

These close calls were good reminders, and since then I have slowed my easy runs as well as my mileage progression. It is important to remember that there is zero instant gratification in running, and that in actuality you're training for NEXT season or the season after, not this one. I wish younger me would have known this...

That is just terrible. Hope you are enjoying running now.

YOU GET IT.

I figured out how to do this myself. Ran 37 mpw in April after Cap City, but slowly built to 40-45 (which I've never done before!). I took the 4th week down to 33, then went back to 48, 50, 52, then dropped to 40 on the 8th week. I'm up to 55 now but only increase gradually. Did 18 miles for my LR but now I'll be able to scale back next week to 41 next week. A lot easier!

This has kept me healthy.

In HS ('98-02), I ran no more than 32 mpw.

I ran 36 mpw once in 2008 while training for the Bowman Cup 5k (and that only got me an 18:33 5k).

I ran 38 mpw for the Cbus Half in 2018, and that netted me 1:39 flat. Only did that once, and only 1 11-miler.

I also am learning how to run SLOW. The slow runs are awkward, esp. when you look at your times on MapMyRun, but when you are fresh for your LR on Saturdays it's so worth it. I usually do slow runs Thurs. and Friday (i.e. around 8:50 to 9:00 pace!) and am able to do the LR comfortably and still feel like I could have done more. I did my 18 today and felt I could have gone even farther!