I was reading an article in Runner’s World magazine and I now realize why I’ve been slacking off in miles. I’ve been over-training. I thought I got over this when I started running three years ago. Old habits die hard.
I remember days before the Asheville Citizen-Times half marathon, I pushed my body to the extreme. I did 30 to 60 minute of cardio workouts in the morning and ran 5 to 7 miles in the afternoon. So it makes perfect sense now why my body just shut down.
According to the article, “early signs of over-training include loss of energy and frequent fatigue. Also, the legs may feel heavy and tired even after a day off.” I remember trying to run three days after the race and my legs felt like logs. Talk about being a pegged-leg pirate. I couldn’t get my legs to move!
Some other symptoms are anxiety and irritability. The most extreme case of over-training is when a runner goes through all the symptoms and winds up sick or even depressed. I don’t think I’ve pushed it that far. I haven’t put in hard miles in two weeks! To me, that alone is depressing. All summer, I’ve worked so hard to get my body adjusted to the heat and long miles. Now it’s fall and I’m feel like a couch potato.
Only 15 days remain before the Nationwide Marathon. Will I be ready? No, but is anyone ever ready?
