If you’ve ever trained for a race, you know how taxing it can be on your body. Our friends at fix.com have put together a useful guide to help you determine if you are overtraining and provide tips to train smart, improve your performance and prepare for race domination!
Runners, veterans and newbies alike, are gearing up to make their 2016 race goals a reality. This time last year I was preparing my training schedule for my first half marathon. I had never been much of a runner, so running even an few miles at a time was daunting, not to mention 13.1! Although I was intimidated by the challenge, I had a goal and a plan, and I was determined to stick to my training schedule mostly out of the fear that if I didn’t there would be no way I would be able to complete the race come race day.
Just looking at all of the runs I had marked on my calendar was exhausting. How was I going to stay motivated to run multiple times a week, and then do an even longer run on the weekend?! I assumed I would get sick of running, start to dread my runs, and have to find a way to bribe myself to keep going (hmm….end my run at the Italian bakery near my house? ). But then something strange happened: I discovered “runner’s high”. It’s a real thing, and just the thought of it can make a “quick four mile run” feel more like a treat than an obligation. The amazing feeling I got from running kept me coming back for more, helped make my training more manageable and eventually got me through all 13.1 miles.
My experience opened my eyes to the issue of running addiction. I would have previously found the thought of being addicted to running to be slightly comical. I had never found running to be enjoyable, and “only a crazy person” would love running so much that they just have to do it. But that was before I realized that even I could be sucked in by the immense amount of satisfaction I would receive by getting into a rhythm, challenging myself to keep pace, and pushing myself to the very end. It’s easy to see how one could overdo it and I’m not surprised how common it is. Overtraining can be dangerous both physically and emotionally, and often leads to a decrease in performance in the long run. The infographic below from fix.com is an excellent guide to training for a marathon and addresses common issues with overtraining. Make your next race the best, and healthiest, yet!
No race in your future? Check out the websites in this post to find a race in your area!
Source: Fix.com
