What's up? Endurance suddenly gone! (Read 1011 times)

Hmmm...could you be coming down with a bug? How have you been sleeping? What's the humidity like? If everything else seems normal I would chalk it up to just a couple of bad runs.

I skimmed your question, looked at your log, and was kind of stumped. And then I read more carefully and caught this:

Lo and behold, I suddenly can barely run a mile without stopping. With no disrespect meant for those who run-walk, I don't, and I don't really want to. But my legs are dead tired suddenly. Surely this didn't happen because I took five days off?

Yes. Surely it did. Significant time off - and 5 days is - always makes the legs sluggish. As for the rest ... reconsider the walk breaks. I always walk in training. If it doesn't say tempo or race on my log, you can bet I walked at some point. I don't mean specific Galloway-type ratios. Just slowing to a walk or shuffle for a few seconds every couple miles. I'm convinced it keeps me injury free and fresh. My legs are never tired. After a 42 mile run and 2 hard marathons (and a new PR), all in 3 weeks, my legs still feel good. Part of it is that I train in training. Meaning I don't worry about running slow and even walking. There's no need to prove your studliness in every training run. That's what races are for. Which brings up the next obvious thing: you may be racing too many of your training runs. It doesn't really look like it in your log ... but your last mile was faster than your HM PR pace. And looking back, your last long run was also faster than HM PR pace. You might need to slow down, at least in your long runs, maybe even on your easy runs. By a good minute per mile. I know. That sucks. But it might be worth a try. Or maybe its none of the above and you're just having a bad week. Or you're depressed. Or bored. Or burned-out. Or sick. Stuff happens. Try to just have fun for the next couple weeks. Maybe even leave your watch at home and run easy by feel. Good luck.

Your 5K race pace is 8:45. Most of your training run and especially long runs should be 10:30 - 11:00 pace. Look at your paces on your runs. You may just have tired legs. The 5 day layoff shouldn't have much of an effect. Are you stressed? Lack of sleep? These could also be issues.

I knew I'd come to the right place! Thank you so much for the helpful advice! As a novice runner, I always welcome the input of those who've been at this longer than I have. And I really appreciate you taking the time to look at and analyze my log. It's like having a coach, only better! Yeah, Zoomie, I guess a bad week could be it. I just haven't had one before and I was shocked by it. I've had bad runs, but never so many days of steadily worsening runs, you know? But brighter days surely will be here soon, right? You know, Jake, I think your advice might be dead on. I'm still a recovering sprinter (is there a support group somewhere?). When I input my race times, most of the training plans I generate call for me to run my easy and long runs at 10:40 to 11 minute pace, and yet I can rarely do that. Maybe I need to try harder. It's one of the reasons I got my Garmin--to keep me from running too hard--but maybe I'm not using it wisely enough. Hey, Todd, as a physiologist who specifically works with runners, I appreciate your advice on slowing down my pace. Thanks for looking at my log. And Ennay, there may be something to what you're saying too. I know at least one of those days I forgot to take my Advair before I set out. I didn't connect it to my legs feeling tired, just to my definite wheezing toward the end of the run--my asthma is definitely allergy-triggered. Could be burn-out, I guess. I like to think I love running but as you can see I've been steadily increasing my mileage and other than improving my 5k time I really have no big goal on the horizon. Maybe your advice is dead on: chill out, don't take myself so seriously. It is just running. Finney, I think I will take your advice and cut back a little. Better four miles that I feel good about than six miles that I hate, right? Keep the advice coming, if you want. Any input is helpful! K

I haven't changed my diet or hydration. I started taking a B12 vitamin and magnesium supplement on the advice of my neurologist and a liquid glucosamine syrup to help my knees, but I don't think that would sap my strength.

Make sure you are staying hydrated 24-7. I have found that if I'm dehydrated one day, it does affect my running till days later.

If someone starts that group I am SO in. <--- retired="" 100="" &="" 200m="" girl=""></--->

How come the PB's aren't in your log?

Vixi, I'm not sure it has to do with taking 5 days off, I think these things are different for different individuals. Personally, if I take 5 days off I feel like Superman on my first run, my legs are just loaded with energy. You may be different.... Simon.