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Long run blues (Read 2020 times)

    I have been adding to my long run gradually and have pushed it up to 15 miles.

     

    I can run it no prob, with a little soreness next day as you might expect.  I do this run on a weekend, when I can have as much of the day free as possible.  Turns out that this is a good thing as, since my run has been this long, I have had a nap later that day every time I that have done it.

    This hasn't been a problem yet as it hasn't interfered with any plans.

     

    Is this something others experience?  I try to get at least 6 hours sleep the night before, I have a cereal bar, coffee and a few sips of water before the run, a Gatorade or similar during and then I try to eat a good breakfast (porridge usually) within 30 mins of finishing.

     

    I am feeling like I have to write-off the rest of the day when I complete this run.  I think my body must be shattered as I have slept later in the day everytime I have done it (since hitting 14.5-15 miles). 

     

    Is this normal?

     

    Cheers,

    Bernie

     

    MTA spelling

      Bernie, I think at my end it's been the combination of the increased distance and the heat/humidity.  10-14 miles in the winter didn't impact me like you've described ... but doing 16 or more in the heart of summer leaves me wanting a nap.  My wife has all but written me off for anything useful around the house on Sunday afternoons ... although I'm good for taking our son to the pool!

      "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

      -- Dick LeBeau


      Hoodoo Guru

        I love my post long run naps.  The combination of getting up early to run and the amount of work performed running adds up to a great need for sleep.  I can usually function well after my naps, but find it much more beneficial to lie around and watch football (American style.)

        The tangents are moot.

         

         

         

        L Train


          I try to get at least 6 hours sleep the night before

           

           

           

          You write this as if it's a lot.  My experience as I build mileage is that I need more sleep - not just the night before, but all week long whenever possible.  And yes, I feel like napping after long runs.  Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

           

             

             

             

             

             

             

            You write this as if it's a lot.  My experience as I build mileage is that I need more sleep - not just the night before, but all week long whenever possible.  And yes, I feel like napping after long runs.  Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

            +1

            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

            sethf11


              Sounds like the heat is getting to you. My long days consist of 2 slices of toast w/ peanut butter while going out the door. Run 15 miles, drink a Gatorade w/ a snack, shower, go to church, come home. Relax and watch tv for like 2-3 hours, eat lunch, go to work from 3-11pm (ride a motorcycle at work for 8 hours) Come home and get to bed by midnight, then wake up around 7am and start the next days run at 8am. I'm pretty much dead feeling all day and would love a nap. My legs usually ache the rest if the say too.
              LedLincoln


              not bad for mile 25

                Yep, I'm pretty much depleted after a long run.  There are others on the forums, however, for whom a twenty-miler is an average run. Smile

                AmoresPerros


                Options,Account, Forums

                  Sometimes I nap after a long run -- I enjoy that.

                  It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


                  jfa

                    Yes, it's normal .Naps are great!  Be sure to listen to your body as you climb the mileage ladder. If there are days where you really feel wiped, take a real small recovery run or rest day and don't be a slave to some plan or running log entries.

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                      Sounds like the heat is getting to you. My long days consist of 2 slices of toast w/ peanut butter while going out the door. Run 15 miles, drink a Gatorade w/ a snack, shower, go to church, come home. Relax and watch tv for like 2-3 hours, eat lunch, go to work from 3-11pm (ride a motorcycle at work for 8 hours) Come home and get to bed by midnight, then wake up around 7am and start the next days run at 8am. I'm pretty much dead feeling all day and would love a nap. My legs usually ache the rest if the say too.

                       

                      Now I don't feel like I deserve a nap!  That is a serious schedule!

                       

                      I think, for me, a lot of it is due to the fact that my long run is about 95% of my max.  I'm building it up and I add to the distance when the previous distance feels a bit easier, but the increments I'm adding now are smaller than what I was adding to begin with and less often-  I'm not sure that 15 miles will ever feel easy!

                       

                      As I'm running almost until failure each week, this is why I think I am so affected by it.  I'm sure that for a lot of experienced runners on here, their long runs might only be 50-60% of what they can run, probably having built up to marathon distance already.

                       

                      Bernie

                      L Train


                         

                          

                        I think, for me, a lot of it is due to the fact that my long run is about 95% of my max. As I'm running almost until failure each week, this is why I think I am so affected by it. 

                         

                        You could change your strategy a little.  I hadn't looked at your log, but now I have.  You are running 15 mile long runs with only 2-3 other runs a week, all shorter.  Pace on the long runis about 20-30 seconds slower than those easy runs.  If I were you, I would look at building the rest of my base further before doing these fifteen mile runs.  Other people would tell you to slow the pace of the long run, but I don't think you need to. 

                         

                        Why not add a day or two (or three) per week of easy runs, and then make one of those mid week runs longer, like 7-9 miles.  Keep the long runs on the weekend at 10-12 miles for a while.  Build your endurance.  Then after a few (or several) months of this, extend that mid week run and the long run.  You'll recover much easier from each run (including the long runs) and build your endurance faster if you approach it this way IMO.

                         

                          Any time I'm in a mileage build up stage and especially after the long runs, I'm generally tired and laz around the house or take a nap.......BUT after you get your miles up and get used to them for a few weeks, its usually no the case.....so in my experience,  I would think you will stop being so tired after you are a little more used to the long run and increased distance.

                          Champions are made when no one is watching

                            Your long runs are half your weekly mileage in one run so its not surprising you are wiped. Like L Train said, I'd suggest building out the other six days of the week. I can't remember the last time I had a nap during the day--several kids ago I would guess. But I also need a lot more than 6 hrs sleep when training, closer to 8.

                            Runners run

                              Yeah. Sleep. Every weeknight I do all kinds of fuzzy math, trying to figure out when I really need to get up and how much sleep I really need and how much time I really need in order to squeeze a given number of miles.  But there's only so much pushing and pulling you can do. Unless, of course, you're Purdey. 

                              "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                                 

                                 

                                You could change your strategy a little.  I hadn't looked at your log, but now I have.  You are running 15 mile long runs with only 2-3 other runs a week, all shorter.  Pace on the long runis about 20-30 seconds slower than those easy runs.  If I were you, I would look at building the rest of my base further before doing these fifteen mile runs.  Other people would tell you to slow the pace of the long run, but I don't think you need to. 

                                 

                                Why not add a day or two (or three) per week of easy runs, and then make one of those mid week runs longer, like 7-9 miles.  Keep the long runs on the weekend at 10-12 miles for a while.  Build your endurance.  Then after a few (or several) months of this, extend that mid week run and the long run.  You'll recover much easier from each run (including the long runs) and build your endurance faster if you approach it this way IMO.

                                 

                                I know you have a point.  I have thought that my training is a bit skewed with my long run at this level and the other 3 days only adding up to the same distance.

                                 

                                I can't really do anymore than 4 days a week at the mo, not with the balance of commitments that I have to keep.  I will look into adding miles to the weekdays, though.  I am doing my first race on 10/10/10, a HM, so my aim of building up to 13.1 miles is at least complete. 

                                 

                                Cheers,

                                Bernie

                                 

                                 

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