Are You Suffering from Overtraining?

Have you been training very hard and diligently for a race?  But somehow something doesn't feel right? Either you can't face doing any further training, or didn't get the time you wanted for the race or you did but a few weeks after the race you're still not ready to lace up your shoes again. Then read on, you may be suffering from overtraining!

What is overtraining?

Simply put, overtraining happens when you've just done too much and your body cannot take any more. You may have been running too high a mileage, or been running your sessions too fast (see my past blog post on this), possibly a combination of both but there may be a bunch of other reasons why you have just (temporarily!) lost your love of running. I know I have felt that way before whilst logging in the miles during marathon training. Running had taken over my life because I just HAD to do all these training sessions ahead of my race but the last few weeks were a bit of a mental struggle and I just couldn't wait to get the race over and done with so I could take some time off. A classic sign that you may need a check-in with yourself.

What are the symptoms of overtraining?

There are a number of symptoms to watch out for. The below list is not exhaustive, but it covers the most common symptoms. Conversely, the below symptoms may be due to something other than overtraining, so if they persist you may want to get checked out by your GP.

1. You used to be passionate about running but now cannot even look at your running shoes without sensing a feeling of dread.
2. Despite regular workouts including speedwork/hills/easy pace runs, your running stats show a plateau or decline in performance.
3. You feel constantly tired.
4. Your sleep quality is not as good as usual (which would explain 3 at least partially).
5. You feel aggressive with no good reason, even towards your loved ones.
6. This article lists a number of additional symptoms to watch out for.

If you recognise any of the above, you may be suffering from overtraining.
 

What are the possible causes of overtraining?

The causes  of overtraining varies from one individual to another. It depends on a number of factors including why we run in the first place, what type of running we enjoy most, how we fit running into our lives, what is happening around us etc. So don't think that it's a sign of weakness (physical or psychological) as it's absolutely not. But recognising the symptoms of overtraining early will enable you to address them before they get worse and allow you to return to your happy running days sooner.

The main causes of overtraining are the following:

1. Your weekly mileage is too high for you currently.
2. You work yourself too hard.
3. You don't give yourself enough time to recover between workouts.
4. You are experiencing some stress in your life that is unrelated to running. It could be work-related, family-related or finance-related. 
5. You are experiencing a combination of the above.

If you know you are prone to any of the above but haven't experienced any of the symptoms described further up, watch out as you are definitely at high risk of overtraining and you may want to rethink your training programme to prevent it.

What to do about it?

So how exactly to prevent or address overtraining? You can try a number of different options, including:

1. Cut down the mileage (down to zero for a week if necessary). That one is obvious given that the number 1 reason for overtraining is high mileage. Don't fret that you are not going to reach your target mileage, because at the end of the day overtraining will get you in a much worse place than just a few missed sessions. Worth it.
2. Ensure you schedule enough rest between your training sessions. This one is non-negotiable as both your body and mind need it. You're not gaining anything in the long term by cramming in too many miles over a few days with insufficient rest, and it is likely to lead to injury.
3. Ensure you keep a healthy and balance diet to maximise your energy levels and improve your mood.
4. Find new routes. If you're feeling low in the middle of all this, it's time to jazz things up a bit. If you're been running the same old route time and time again your overtraining symptoms are a good reason to try a new route. You can look up new routes on MapMyRun, RunKeeper, or my favourite: the Good Run Guide.
5. Run with a friend: If you typically run on your own, why don't you challenge a friend to go and join you? Having a chat whilst running will make time fly, and if you can make it a regular date, even better for your motivation!
6. Ditch the GPS: Last week's blog post was about running 'naked' (read 'without GPS). I have personally run all my training runs watch-free since (I took my watch with me and turned it on for experimental reasons, but turned off all alerts and ensured I didn't even take a small glimpse at it during my run) and I must say so far it has felt amazing and liberating. Free from the worry of going either too slow or too fast I could finally focus on my body and how it responded to the effort, try and judge pace better (my judgement of pace has become appalling since I got hooked on my GPS over the years) and appreciate running for what I really love about it: 'me' time and a mindful experience. Has it improved my pace? Not so far, but it has certainly made my training sessions more enjoyable, so a big thumbs up for me!

Happy (happy!) running!