Overtraining

[Dynamo Dan]

My performances are appaling at the moment, last night I was three minutes slower than last year at Kettleshulme. At Knowl Hill last weekend I was six minutes slower than people I was beating by more than a minute at Wardle Skyline. These two races are symptomatic of a run of poor performances since April.

If I wasn't training I'd understand, but I've trained consistently since last year completing events like the HPM and TWA. I'm thinner and I'm still in my twenties (just) i should be improving, so why am I getting worse?

I had a long run of tough lakes races in April cullminating in a disaster a Coniston where I almost DNF. I then ran Mount Famine and also had an appalling run.

After Famine I thought I'd over done it with my Lakes antics and had a week off - I then did the OCT but my partner and I got timed out.

Since then I've had the odd week off, but I can't shake the malaise and Kettleshulme last night is the last straw.

I don't know what to do, I love running, but having so many bad performances is getting me down. I've got a lot of stress at work at the moment and when your hobby makes you depressed there really is no where else to turn.

Sorry for the length of this post. Any advice is much appreciated.

[losidan]

My performances are appaling at the moment, last night I was three minutes slower than last year at Kettleshulme. At Knowl Hill last weekend I was six minutes slower than people I was beating by more than a minute at Wardle Skyline. These two races are symptomatic of a run of poor performances since April.

If I wasn't training I'd understand, but I've trained consistently since last year completing events like the HPM and TWA. I'm thinner and I'm still in my twenties (just) i should be improving, so why am I getting worse?

I had a long run of tough lakes races in April cullminating in a disaster a Coniston where I almost DNF. I then ran Mount Famine and also had an appalling run.

After Famine I thought I'd over done it with my Lakes antics and had a week off - I then did the OCT but my partner and I got timed out.

Since then I've had the odd week off, but I can't shake the malaise and Kettleshulme last night is the last straw.

I don't know what to do, I love running, but having so many bad performances is getting me down. I've got a lot of stress at work at the moment and when your hobby makes you depressed there really is no where else to turn.

Sorry for the length of this post. Any advice is much appreciated.

I am certainly nothing but a novice to this fell lark but sounds like stress to me. Sometimes something has to give. Yes you are not beating your bests but...why worry? It's a hobby at the end of the day. You are out doing what you enjoy. You enjoy it you say. Just do it for that reason for a bit and dont sweat the performances. Stress at work followed by more stress you do for enjoyment...Not a good recipe bud and I personally dont think it helps your performance. Uses up energy being up tight especially if you are feeling that way at races.

The technical why and were fore's I'll leave to those in the know.
You cant PB everytime. Could be you are just in a lull. It'll come good.

[losidan]

Also forgot to add...Is it worth changing how you train a bit. Bit of something different to give the body a new pattern it needs to adapt to...?

[noel]

I know we discussed this the other week, so I should know the answer to this question, but...

How much speed work are you doing? (intervals, reps, sprints etc). It sounds from your post like you're doing a lot of distance training.

[Dynamo Dan]

I know we discussed this the other week, so I should know the answer to this question, but...

How much speed work are you doing? (intervals, reps, sprints etc). It sounds from your post like you're doing a lot of distance training.

I haven't been doing loads of speedwork admittedly. I did think maybe I've trained myself for long slow stuff and the shorter races are suffering because of it. We'll see at the Great Lakes I suppose!

It's funny because around the time of Famine I was displaying all the classic symptoms of over training, but now I don't feel too bad but my performances are still atrocious.

I'm thinking of taking a month off from racing after the Great Lakes, not running at all for two weeks and then build it back up gently.

[noel]

I haven't been doing loads of speedwork admittedly. I did think maybe I've trained myself for long slow stuff and the shorter races are suffering because of it. We'll see at the Great Lakes I suppose!

It's funny because around the time of Famine I was displaying all the classic symptoms of over training, but now I don't feel too bad but my performances are still atrocious.

I'm thinking of taking a month off from racing after the Great Lakes, not running at all for two weeks and then build it back up gently.

I wouldn't take too much time off. All that long slow stuff should be great as a base for the more intense shorter stuff that will really boost your speed. It would be a shame not to capitalise on all the hard work you've been doing. Good luck at Great Lakes.

[Dynamo Dan]

I wouldn't take too much time off. All that long slow stuff should be great as a base for the more intense shorter stuff that will really boost your speed. It would be a shame not to capitalise on all the hard work you've been doing. Good luck at Great Lakes.

Thanks Noel I hope I have built a base otherwise all that hard work has gone down the pan!!

[CL]

My performances are appaling at the moment, last night I was three minutes slower than last year at Kettleshulme. At Knowl Hill last weekend I was six minutes slower than people I was beating by more than a minute at Wardle Skyline. These two races are symptomatic of a run of poor performances since April.

If I wasn't training I'd understand, but I've trained consistently since last year completing events like the HPM and TWA. I'm thinner and I'm still in my twenties (just) i should be improving, so why am I getting worse?

I had a long run of tough lakes races in April cullminating in a disaster a Coniston where I almost DNF. I then ran Mount Famine and also had an appalling run.

After Famine I thought I'd over done it with my Lakes antics and had a week off - I then did the OCT but my partner and I got timed out.

Since then I've had the odd week off, but I can't shake the malaise and Kettleshulme last night is the last straw.

I don't know what to do, I love running, but having so many bad performances is getting me down. I've got a lot of stress at work at the moment and when your hobby makes you depressed there really is no where else to turn.

Sorry for the length of this post. Any advice is much appreciated.

It's time to have blood drawn Dan. Of particular interest are iron, folate and B12. Also ask the doc to check your thyroid hormones. When the results come back the doc will go through them with you but also ask for a print out of the results so you can get someone with knowledge of blood results in athletes to have a second look.

[Dynamo Dan]

It's time to have blood drawn Dan. Of particular interest are iron, folate and B12. Also ask the doc to check your thyroid hormones. When the results come back the doc will go through them with you but also ask for a print out of the results so you can get someone with knowledge of blood results in athletes to have a second look.

Chris I did have a blood test and it came back normal I haven't had a print out though. I do know my thyroid is fine because I asked them to check for that specifically.

I've also started taking a daily iron supplement and some Vit C effervescent with B12. Truth be told I do feel better than I did at Mount Famine, but obviously there's something not right for me to be putting in such bad performances regularly.

Two weeks complete rest or active recovery that's the question...

[CL]

Chris I did have a blood test and it came back normal I haven't had a print out though. I do know my thyroid is fine because I asked them to check for that specifically.

I've also started taking a daily iron supplement and some Vit C effervescent with B12. Truth be told I do feel better than I did at Mount Famine, but obviously there's something not right for me to be putting in such bad performances regularly.

Two weeks complete rest or active recovery that's the question...

Phone the surgery and ask for a print out of the results. This will show what they tested and didn't test for. On the vitamin front I would take something with a full complex of vitamins and minerals rather than one with just a few things in it.

The only other things I can think of that are causing your lack of performance are not enough sleep and being on some dodgy diet, like Atkins, that deprives you of carbohydrate.