The Weekly Training Thread

Pack it in for a few weeks. Coordination is controlled by our central system and CNS fatigue is better known as over training syndrome. I prefer to think of it as underrecovery and the only cure is to let your body recover. I've been there a few times and it's not pleasant or smart to push through as it only prolongs fatigue. Taking a few weeks off might sound like a big deal now but it's an insignificant amount of time in the big picture of your running life, fitness always comes back quicker when you already had it so a break is only a small bump in the road which might benefit you more right now.

I've being saying this to you for a while now but I really think you need to slow down, these situations are a sign as a DR. George Young once said "listen to your body, don't be a blind and deaf tenant". The rhythm will feel awkward at first but you will get used to it and adapt, practice anything and you will get better at it. I'm convinced that most people are running too fast on easy and recovery runs, I see it everywhere in logs and our on the roads. The reason I'm pestering you about this is that some of your recovery runs are close to what I would consider a recovery run for me. The problem with having a word like easy to describe an effort is that it is so hugely open to interpretation in definition but the feeling should be somewhere in the vicinity of I could run all day at this effort without straining. Easy running is an opportunity for your body to recover from hard workouts and to give your heart and lungs a gentle workout which only takes a very gentle effort. Running these runs fast will only detract from your recovery time thus lessening the adaptions your body can take from training.

It's a horrible situation to be in, I know but this could be a positive experience for you going forward if you choose to learn from it and realise that something in your approach is off and changes need to be made. Best of luck and hope to see you back in fighting shape soon.

/r/running Thread Parent