Overtraining Risky For Even The Best Runners

By Cheryl Hart

Over the next few months, runners will be upping their mileage in preparation for fall marathons.  In their quest for success, they often try too hard.  I am always emphasizing to the runners that I train that "less is more."  Overtraining is risky. Competitive runners know that.  But most of us have to learn the hard way.

Runners are forever chasing the elusive magic training formula. Exactly how hard can we push without breaking down? The challenge is to balance intense workouts with sufficient recovery days to avoid injury and a weakened immune system. 

"A common running adage tells us to listen to our bodies and we won't get injured," said Jeff Galloway, former Olympian, coach and author of several running books.  "But the problem is, our bodies lie to us.  The mind controls the body, pushing it to new ego limits, causing us to lose touch with the real condition of our tired muscles, especially when we have a coveted goal in mind."

The more fit you are, both physically and mentally, the less difficult a workout feels.  But because the cardiovascular system improves more quickly than the muscular system, you can't always rely on perceived exertion to determine maximum training level.  If you aren't experienced or disciplined enough to assess and respond to your body's warning signals, this can result in overstressing bones, joints, tendons and muscles. Each individual has his own training threshold.  If you push beyond that level, you can get into trouble.  In saying that, I want to emphasize that I believe it is crucial to incorporate a maximum effort day each week - when you take it to the limit - and then challenge that limit.   But it is a big mistake to run hard days back to back. 

REBUILD TIME NECESSARY
Fatigue for a few days following a tough workout is normal and necessary in the process of improvement.  But it is essential to give the body a chance to rebuild by mixing easy recovery days into the overall training program.  This will ensure maximum improvement without injury.

Rest days are every bit as important as speed work and long runs.  Whenever my grandmother thought that I was overdoing it, she would remind me that, "when you make a withdrawal from the bank, you have to make a deposit."

Dr. Carl Foster, in an effort to help runners detect and avoid overtraining, presented evidence from his research that showed that "horses progress following a hard-easy training program but become over-trained when the workload increases on the easy days."

By keeping a running journal, you can evaluate your individual training threshold to find the correct combination of hard and easy days that will result in optimal performance. Monitor your mileage.  A sudden increase of more than ten percent per week increases the risk of injury.  As you add miles to your long run, be sure to schedule more rest days.

Another preventive measure is adequate warm-up before hard runs, especially speed sessions.  Cooling down with an easy jog afterward speeds recovery by ridding the muscles of accumulated lactic acid and gently brings them back to a resting state. A common mistake is to neglect stretching out the tightness caused by exertion.  Unfortunately, stretching a tired muscle can tear muscle fibers and increase necessary recovery time. Just like over-training, over-stretching is risky.  It's more
effective to stretch just before bedtime rather than immediately after a hard workout. 

KNOW THE DANGER ZONE

Our bodies usually give us warning signals at the onset of an injury.  But runners who develop a high pain threshold often tend to ignore the "discomfort" just as they have trained themselves to do in a race.  Injuries then progress through several stages.

Mild muscle soreness after a hard workout is a normal result of overload in a conditioning program.  It usually disappears by the next run.  But pain that persists or worsens, signals you are entering a danger zone.

At this point you should reduce both mileage and intensity in your workouts.  Severe pain means you are in trouble. Performance is hampered and rest doesn't help.  Stop running immediately and seek medical attention.  (I call Bridgid Mahan with Advanced Orthopedic 493-0088 the "miracle worker.")

Overuse injuries are best treated with the RICE + AR method:

• Rest. Runners dread this.  It may mean no running for days or even
  weeks.  Cross-training with a different sport such as swimming
  or cycling helps maintain your fitness level and keeps you from
  going crazy.
• Ice. Use an ice pack (a bag of frozen corn works great) several times
  a day for 15 minutes, especially the first day or two following
  an injury.
• Compression. Wrap the injured area fairly tightly with an elastic bandage.
  Release about every 20 minutes and before bedtime.
• Elevation. Elevate the injured area above heart level whenever possible.
• Anti-inflammatory medication. The runner's favorite choice used to be Viiox, but other less risky anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are helpful.
• Recondition. Do this by stretching and slowly increasing strength training.
  Gradually resume running.

When I ran my first marathon at 24 years old, I used a line from Ayn Rand's book, "Atlas Shrugged" as my mantra:  "And he decided that pain was no valid reason for stopping." Many years and countless injuries later, I realize how foolish that is.  Hopefully, you won't have to learn the hard way to run through the strain but not the pain.

Cheryl Hart is owner of 2nd Wind, a motivational coaching business with a focus on achieving life goals.  She is also a certified personal fitness specialist and spinning instructor. Cheryl was Kentucky's NCAA Woman of the Year (1993) and National Inspirational Athlete of the Year (1994). She is a member of Team USA, most recently winning silver medals in both the 2004 World Triathlon and World Duathlon.  She was named All-American in triathlon and duathlon (2003 & 2004). Cheryl has a B.A. in English from Centre College, where she served as communications associate, cross-country coach and sports information director.  To contact Cheryl, call 693-7443 or e-mail offrunnin@yahoo.com.