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fatigue (Read 819 times)

baileybomber


    I've been training for a marathon this fall, which I've done a few times in the past with success. This year however after my long runs (16+ miles) it is taking me a very long time to recover enough (3-5 days) to run again without feeling fatigued. The fatigue is mainly in my quads which kind of tighten up a bit after 4-5 miles. There's no pain, just weakness. I'm 39 and haven't trained for a marathon for 7 years although I have run continuously. Am I just getting old ? Or could there be something else going on. I've been very careful about ramping up my mileage and taking rest days. It's getting closer to the marathon so I'm getting paranoid about having an injury. Any thoughts ? Have you experienced anything like this before?
    Runreno


      That is a tough one because this could be from different things but here is the basics one. Do you stretch your quads? Is your long run on allot of hills up hill or down hill? Has your weight gone up recently? How is your diet do you get enough carbs and fluids right after finishing. And last but not least are your shoes to old and not have enough cushioning. Let me know and I will try to help. Trust me you are not getting old look at my log I'm 52.

      www.running-distance-tips.com

      baileybomber


        Well I don't stretch much. My long runs are on a very flat, soft trail. My weight has stayed pretty constant within 5 lbs. but has inched up recently despite the increased running. My shoes are fairly new (185 miles). I've been taking more rest days than normal the last couple of weeks which has helped but as soon as I do a long run again I experience the same thing. Thanks for any help/suggestions.
        Trent


        Good Bad & The Monkey

          You are likely running too fast. You need to run at a pace where you can hold an easy conversation, barely feel the exertion, and are not sweating much.
          baileybomber


            Thanks. I think that's possible i'm running a little fast but i am running at a conversational pace. I just ran a half marathon at 7:10 pace and it was very comfortable - could have gone faster but wasn't really racing it. My long runs i have been doing at about 8-8:10.
            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey

              Based on that, and according to the McMillan calculator, you should be running your long runs a bit slower, between 8:00 and 9:00. http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/Running%20University/Article%201/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm
              zoom-zoom


              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/Running%20University/Article%201/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm
                Trent, you posted that a while back and it was before I had ever run a race, so I didn't pay too much attention to it. Now I just played with it and from the look of things I am training very appropriately for my abilities. Thanks for posting that again--I will bookmark it, this time. Smile k

                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                     ~ Sarah Kay

                Trent


                Good Bad & The Monkey

                baileybomber


                  Thanks, this helps. I'm probably running too fast overall for all of my runs based on this. I'll try to slow it down and see what happens. Thanks all.