Overtraining syndrome?

[baffledmummy]

Has anyone ever been diagnosed with this? I am about 12kg overweight…semi regular runner. Have ramped up on intensity the last month after a particular unhealthy holiday in order to try and lose weight and get fit. I’ve gone from three runs a week to one interval run, one threshold run and one long run but covering maybe 10% more distance than normal. Have also started a beginners introductory weights video 3 x a week using very light weights (each session is about 30mins). I have one complete rest day a week. Doesn’t sound too much right? Plus been eating healthier (cut out wine, cakes, chocolate). Have lost about 3kg over four weeks (Yahy!) and look better…felt amazing for the first two weeks but now my sleeping is all over the place…wake up super early, don’t ever feel well rested, mildly agitated for the last 2 weeks. What’s going on? I should be feeling amazing and sleeping like a baby?! I’ve wondered if it might be overtraining syndrome - too much too soon? But it doesn’t FEEL too much? I’m enjoying every workout? Anyone experienced similar? I’m reluctant to cut down on training and step back…but I feel rubbish.

Not even close to over exercising

How long are your 3 runs a week out of interest

It's extremely unlikely that you are overtraining on three runs and some light weights sessions each week!
That said, how long are the runs?

Sounds more like the effects of the routine of normal life to me. Happens to me everytime I come back off holiday. Feel great and full of enthusiasm to 'get back on it', then the emotional and physical slump kicks in.

Has your performance declined?
Doesn't sound too much to me.

Well yes…for clarity, I’m not saying I’m doing any insanely crazy training…for reference I am middle aged and overweight and never going to be an elite athlete! it’s just a lot more than I was doing a month ago and can’t think of anything else that would explain the change in sleeping pattern…feel like I am always “on” if that makes any sense. Difficult to say if performance has declined in such a short period.

How long are your runs?

Well yes... but there's a huge gulf between light exercise and elite athlete.

As asked upthread, how much are you running? As three 10ks a week isn't going to be having any sort of overtraining impact, but three marathons a week would.

I guess ramping up your exercise is going to have an impact, but if you've only increased your run distance by 10% and added some gentle weights, that's not really ramping up.
The general advice for running is to increase either intensity, distance or time by no more than 10% a week.
If you're feeling tired and your body isn't recovering in between exercise sessions then the logical thing to do is to reduce it and see how you feel.
It might just be something as simple as you fighting a virus.

Yes not far went from 15k a week to 22k…so actually quite a bit more than 10% but increased intensity from 3 5k plodding a week to 400m intervals, a threshold run and a long run (10k but building)

Are you exercising in the evenings? That can disrupt sleep. Doing yoga before bed can help to release any post-exercise tension and relax your mind.

Another possible factor is nutrition - I appreciate you want to lose weight and eating healthily is good but it's important that you still get enough protein and quality carbohydrate to fuel your training.

I agree you may have ramped up training a bit too quickly - you've significantly increased duration and also increased intensity. I'd dial it back either duration or intensity, check your fuelling and sleep hygiene and see whether that feels a bit better. I'm sure in a month or so what you're doing now will be fine, but most people need a bit more of a steady build up to be sustainable and reduce injury risk.

Thanks @UnaOfStormhold Im kind of fitting it in when I can…mostly in the morning but I had done a couple of evening runs too. I didn’t realise it was such a % increase until I wrote it down upthread..they seems such small numbers but I guess when you are dealing with small numbers, you need to take extra care with gradual increases.

Or maybe it’s just a virus!

I’ll cut back intensity I think and start bringing in speed work more gradually and keep going with the weights for the next couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference. In my head I am fitter than I am!

If you've gone from eight miles a week to 11 miles a week (or thereabouts) this really isn't a significant increase. The rough rule of thumb is 10% a week and you've done roughly 30% increase in a month?

If you've increased the intensity of those runs that's great in terms of being able to build and getting fitter but again, isn't going to be overtraining unless you are really hammering those 400 reps and leaving yourself utterly exhausted.

I would be looking somewhere else for an explanation as to why you feel the way to do. A virus is the most obvious one. Or have you started using any supplements or drinking more caffeine etc that might be affecting sleep patterns?

If you've gone from eight miles a week to 11 miles a week (or thereabouts) this really isn't a significant increase. The rough rule of thumb is 10% a week and you've done roughly 30% increase in a month?

If you've increased the intensity of those runs that's great in terms of being able to build and getting fitter but again, isn't going to be overtraining unless you are really hammering those 400 reps and leaving yourself utterly exhausted.

I would be looking somewhere else for an explanation as to why you feel the way to do. A virus is the most obvious one. Or have you started using any supplements or drinking more caffeine etc that might be affecting sleep patterns?

If you've had the recent hot weather in much of the country, that can disrupt sleep.

If you use a system like Garmin to record your excercise, look at what energy you it thinks you've been burning, and what you're consuming.
To lose weight, you need a modest deficit, but still need to keep protein intake up to help muscle recover and strengthen.
Eating too little, and of the wrong nutrients will deplete your body's energy.

It's not that there's been a major change, but there are several cumulative issues that could be interracting and need tweaking.

If you're dieting as well that might be one reason. It's a fine balance between fuelling yourself for exercise and losing weight, unfortunately.

I think it's probably just a reaction to the increased load. It doesn't sound like anything serious, but I would put the brakes on adding any more duration/effort and just stay where your are for a bit, maybe try going to bed a bit earlier.

See how you feel in a few weeks.

I don't think it’s overtraining but maybe peri menopause symptoms?

Are you getting lots of protein? You might have been better increasing the runs then starting weights but as people said not a massive increase

How old are you? If you’re 40+ then it could be overtraining. I got a bollocking from my physio for inconsistent training which has lead to a year long injury. Add in more rest days and see how you feel?

I find weights very tiring if I haven’t been doing them consistently.