Overtraining. It’s a term that strikes fear into the hearts of all runners.
Researchers believe that 61% of all dedicated runners will experience overtraining at some point throughout their running careers.
When you’re pushing yourself to achieve your goals, that’s not an encouraging number.
Overtraining is frightening because runners have few tangible means to recognise and quantify whether they are overtraining.
Overtraining isn’t as obvious as a stress fracture, which causes noticeable discomfort, or as obvious as running out of energy during a long run.
Researchers can evaluate sophisticated physiological indicators like catecholamine excretion and neuromuscular patterns to establish if a runner is overtraining, but road runners have little clear information to determine if we’re just weary from training or pushing ourselves too far.
While the indications and symptoms of overtraining are not obvious, it is feasible to identify which activities provide the highest risk of overtraining, spot subtle signs that indicate you’re on the verge of overtraining, and discuss how to return if you suspect you are overtrained.
Overtraining Causes
Overtraining is caused by failing to adequately recover between sessions on a regular basis.
Some workouts and training methods will make you more prone to overtraining, but the underlying problem is always a lack of rest.
While all motivated athletes are prone to pushing themselves too hard without adequately resting, experts have found a few training scenarios that make runners especially prone to overtraining.
Going too far in a single training cycle
The most prevalent reason of overtraining we see at RunnersConnect is athletes trying to break their personal bests by doing too much in one training segment.
While determining one’s potential can be especially challenging for a rookie runner or someone who is fast progressing, it is critical that every runner approach improvement on a step-by-step basis.
Skipping a step or attempting to go from a 3:20 marathon to a 3:05 marathon in one fell swoop to qualify for Boston will almost always result in overtraining.
With his VDOT tables, Jack Daniels has been a pioneer in proper training levels and development, allowing runners to monitor their training and race performance.
In his well-selling book Daniels’ Running Formula, Jack advises runners to train at their present race fitness level until they achieve a new personal best that demonstrates they have progressed in their fitness.
This is the same principle that RunnersConnect use in our training programmes. Training at your current fitness level, as indicated by your most recent PR, is the most consistent and safe approach to progress while avoiding overtraining.
There is no break between training periods.
Another major cause of overtraining is failing to provide your body with adequate rest between training cycles.
Many of our clients desire to move from one training cycle to the next with little or no recuperation in between. Many runners may conclude a difficult training segment in which they pushed their bodies to new limits and raced successfully, and then immediately return to hard training for the next goal.
As a result, these runners never allow their bodies to properly recuperate and absorb all of the training from the previous section. They carry the weariness with them, increasing the likelihood of overtraining significantly.
It is vitally critical that you give your body a significant rest period following intense training segments and huge races if you want to progress long-term.
I recommend taking one week off after a 5k training cycle, 1-2 weeks off after a 10k or half marathon, and two weeks off after a marathon.
It may appear that being careful will hold you back, but it will actually enhance your long-term progress.
Too many high-intensity speed workouts
Finally, it has been shown that conducting too many speed workouts or VO2max training sessions in one training cycle increases the likelihood of overtraining symptoms.
Researchers postulated that the increase in overtraining symptoms observed in runners who conducted 8 weeks or more of speed practise is due to a rise in pH levels (speed work should actually bring your pH levels down) and a standstill in blood lactate levels.
To protect yourself from overtraining from too much speed work, our coaching and basic membership plans focus on increasing your aerobic endurance and lactate threshold, with speed work serving as the frosting on the cake.
Overtraining Complaints
As previously said, determining whether you are overtrained without a lab coat and fancy equipment might be tough. However, you can use several indicators to see if you’re recuperating adequately.
Heart Rate
Overtraining may cause you to have a higher than normal heart rate while resting and sleeping.
Each morning, as soon as you wake up and before you get out of bed, record your heart rate. Keep a little notebook beside your bedside to record the facts each day.
If your heart rate rises for an extended amount of time in the morning, you may be suffering from the effects of overtraining.
Note: Heart rate can be affected by a variety of things other than running fitness or training status. Stress, hydration, caffeine, and sleep duration are just a few of the factors that might influence heart rate. Instead than being concerned about minor swings, look for long-term trends.
Moodiness
Overtraining can cause a decrease in hormone production, notably catecholamine, which influences the sympathetic nervous system.
This can result in increased stress and moodiness. If you’re becoming increasingly angry or anxious, it could be a sign that you’re overtraining.
Sickness susceptibility
Overtraining weakens the immune system, making you more prone to colds, flu, and other illnesses. If you’re becoming ill more than usual, especially with the same virus, it could be an indication of overtraining.
Sleeping patterns that are disrupted
Finally, overtraining disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms, which can make it difficult to sleep. Symptoms include waking up more earlier than usual or having difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Caution: Circadian rhythms are also affected by seasonal changes in daylight availability. If you have difficulties sleeping when the seasons change, it could be a normal reaction to when the sun rises and sets.
While none of these symptoms can be taken as a strong indication of overtraining on their own, if you experience three to four of them, it may be time to take a break.
How do i solve the problem of overtraining?
While I’ve spent some time addressing the causes and symptoms of overtraining, the cure will be much more brief. You’ve probably guessed it by now – rest. If you’re overtrained, you should prioritise rest and recovery.
How long should I rest?
Researchers and coaches disagree on how long it takes to properly recover from a bout of overtraining. The rest duration will primarily be determined by how bad your symptoms are and how soon your body responds.
We recommend that you wait at least three weeks before running again. You’ll probably require at least 6-8 weeks of complete rest before you’re fully recovered. It is vital that you listen to your body and be patient, otherwise you may quickly find yourself back in an overtrained state.
Accelerating the Process
You should continue to focus on keeping a healthy diet – eating nutritious food and eating lots of it – as well as the standard recovery protocols such as stretching, massages, and getting plenty of sleep – to speed up the healing process.
You can avoid stagnating in training and putting yourself back weeks, if not months, by learning about the most prevalent causes of overtraining and detecting the symptoms early.
If overtraining is something you might feel you struggle with, or explains your current training slump. Reach out, sharing your experiences with your coach or physiotherapist can help to shape your training more specifically for your current work / life balance.
Thanks For Reading
James