The gradual increase of your long distance workouts should create confidence and an easy transition from one week to the next. If you are feeling overly tired or dragging your tail, give yourself a break! This may be your body telling you that you are over training.
How can you tell? Here are a few signals:
1. Take your morning, resting pulse. Is it normal or elevated?
2. Do you feel tired even after sleeping?
3. Do your legs and body still feel heavy after a 5 - 10 minute warm-up?
If your pulse is higher than normal; if your feeling tired even after sleeping; if you can't seem to get into a rhythm with your workout but feel sluggish and HEAVY, you may be over training.
Are you working out every day?
Are you running every day or 6 out of 7 days a week?
Are you getting injured?
If you answered yes to any of the questions, you may be over training.
What to do about this? Initially, give yourself a few days off. Recovery is an essential part of training. You may need more recovery time that you've allowed.
Eat wise; sleep well; stop being obsessive about your training for 3 days or so (in a row) and see if this helps. It's possible that it will do the trick and you can get back into the final weeks of training refreshed and with confidence.
June 28 - July 4 Training Plan for the SFM Half Marathon
Monday - REST
Tuesday - Strength and Core Training 1 hour minimum
Wednesday Track Workout - 10 – 20 min warm-up, 3X1600(400m RI), 10 minutes cool-down, stretch
Thursday - REST
Friday - 2 miles easy, 2 miles at tempo pace, 2 miles easy
Saturday - Non running activity or REST
Sunday - 12 miles steady plus 1 mile (10 minutes warm-up jog/walk)
About the Author: Stephanie Atwood, M.A. is a writer, award winning speaker, and fitness professional.
Coach Stephanie, a long distance running coach and personal trainer founded the WOW Team, a women's running and walking group in the Greater Bay Area. Go WOW Team - Fit Women of the World meets throughout the Bay Area, several times each week. Drop-ins are encouraged. For the schedule of workouts go to http://gowowteam.com/calendar or visit the WOW Team Home Page at http://gowowteam.com or search for Go WOW Team on facebook or twitter.
The WOW Team is training for the SF Half and SF Progressive Marathon. On June 28 WOW! starts Week 1 of training for the Nike Women's Marathon and other fall marathons. All women are invited to join.
The WOW Team encourages fitness, through running and walking, for all women, all sizes, all ages, all abilites, all year round. Join us!