Overtraining

I once had a very wise track coach say to me “it is better to under train than to over train.” I thought this phrase was pertinent as we enter peak road race season and as I prepare for my own upcoming half marathon. Because really, what is the benefit of training too much? The whole purpose of training is to force our body to adapt to the demands that we place on it. However if we place too many demands on it too quickly, our bodies will be unable to adapt in time for the next workout. The consequences can take the form of reduction in performance, illness and of course injury.

Some general guidelines for increasing training are as follows:

Volume increases should be limited to 10% per week (5-10 minutes total is a good guideline)

Intensity should be limited to 3% per week (for example the number of intervals or hills should be increased very slowly and only add or increase ONE of those per week)

Surfaces can affect your increases as well: a cross country run without hills will be easier to increase your volume on. Changing from one surface to another; including treadmill to ground should be done gradually as well. After all, your body has adapted to the surface you have been training on and a harder surface will affect joints, tendons and muscles differently! You may want to start with only part of your workouts on the new surface. Also in the vein of surfaces, avoid running on the same side of the road or sidewalk since they are graded for drainage and therefore create uneven forces on your body.

Finally…. Running shoes… The ongoing debate continues and is probably the topic of another whole blog entry. But please be skeptical of information that is given. Most of the current advice is based on research that is done by the shoe company!!! My rule of thumb is that if you are susceptible to posterior chain injuries (foot pain, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, even hamstring and glute issues) stay away from more minimalist shoes and change shoes every 3-6 months depending on how much training you do. For back, knee and shin issues, stay away from the big bulky shoes. Again, slowly integrate the new shoes as well. Use for walks initially, then short runs then your longer runs to allow your body to adapt to them.

In conclusion, look for early signs of over training; niggling pain as well as difficulty sleeping and irritability that may go under the radar. Take a step back… pushing through may only lead to problems!!