Overtraining

[lizard_brain]

A word about yoga classes:

 

I highly reccommend them. The female/male ratio is usually at least 9:1. Excellent training method.

 

:tup:

 

 

I'll get in there this afternoon.

 

I forgot to mention the fact that they are "health-concious" women, too. This ain't no bar scene.

 

 

[i_like_sun]

PERFECT.

[i_like_sun]

So, I had my blood drawn last week and went over the results with my doc. She's telling me to continue with super low exercise levels and intensity for [another six weeks]....... My pituitary is still dragging in producing strong enough signals to get my metabolism and stress capacity reved up.

 

I realize that this problem has been festering for over a year now........ and honestly its proving to be the toughest thing I've ever been through.

 

The other thing, as Archy said earlier, is that most people don't have any idea what this is. In that way, this is a very lonely battle to get into.

[sk]

i feel your pain hun. I am out of the game for a while too.

[i_like_sun]

Dude, this is rediculous. Every night I dream about climbing............. then in my dream I have to remember that I can't do anything tough right now........

 

I think I'm going MAD!

[lizard_brain]

Heh... I'm just on the upswing. I just ran my first marathon a week ago, and I'm taking 2 weeks off running, but I've been reading books on marathon training and have already registered for the Seattle Marathon, and have started mapping out my training plan. I'm not running, but I was headed for Camp Muir yesterday (turned back at 8,000 because of weather), and am climbing The Brothers tomorrow. I'll probably start running again the week after next, and training for the Seattle Marathon in mid-July.

[sk]

Dude, this is rediculous. Every night I dream about climbing............. then in my dream I have to remember that I can't do anything tough right now........

 

I think I'm going MAD!

 

you are going to get through this and so am i. I am not sure how yet but some how we will.

[Sherri]

And looks like Jens is out for the season, too.(broke his heel yesterday?) I know they say "misery loves company," but jeez, people are falling like flies 'round here.

 

Get better soon everybody. And be careful out there.

[i_like_sun]

Dude, this is rediculous. Every night I dream about climbing............. then in my dream I have to remember that I can't do anything tough right now........

 

I think I'm going MAD!

 

you are going to get through this and so am i. I am not sure how yet but some how we will.

 

 

 

I think that maybe my legs have grown brains of their own and have plotted together to start kicking my ass everytime I screw up. Because whenever I do do too much, they send me these "stop - or we will kill you" signals! Gosh, when I think back to how insanely fit and strong I WAS, I seriously want to cry! Why couldn't I have just broken [another] bone instead? That problem is SOOOO EASY. They just heal without any thought. This problem? Its literally like taking the healiest and most wonderful thing you can think of, and flipping it into your own worst nightmare and enemy!

 

How is Muffy's boo boo coming along????

[sk]

i am icing right this moment. I went to the collums today to belay only. i had fun, and it was good to be out. i ran into some people i know and got to talk to one of my most favorite eugene climbers. kids BF and i had a really nice BBQ and then went on a short walk. I totally did too much today because i also cleaned my garage out. i still have more to do out there but, i am making progress. my feet fucking hurt. but ice is nice...

 

over doing it sucks.

[catbirdseat]

And looks like Jens is out for the season, too.(broke his heel yesterday?) I know they say "misery loves company," but jeez, people are falling like flies 'round here.

 

Get better soon everybody. And be careful out there.

Knock on wood.

[i_like_sun]

i am icing right this moment. I went to the collums today to belay only. i had fun, and it was good to be out. i ran into some people i know and got to talk to one of my most favorite eugene climbers. kids BF and i had a really nice BBQ and then went on a short walk. I totally did too much today because i also cleaned my garage out. i still have more to do out there but, i am making progress. my feet fucking hurt. but ice is nice...

 

over doing it sucks.

 

 

I'm sorry your feet suck right now. Ice is nice, but so is a good strong hit of reef..........er........... No, I haven't done that in probably, uhm, three years? I stay away from it because 1) I already have an addictive personality, and 2) I REALLY, REALLY like it. I did however find it to be an amazingly effective pain kill for 4 broken ribs so I could at least sleep at night!

 

So I have a question, how do you NOT OVERDO IT?????? It seems like this culture trains us to overdo almost everything! Just ask Archy!

[sk]

i am the wrong person to ask about not over doing it. i over eat, over exercise i get over involved with people, i work too much, i am an over protective parent...

 

you are correct, our society does reward those who over do...

 

but we need to take the way of Tao... and do by not doing we need to practice being the un-carved block. we need to balance our activity with periods of inactivity.

[high_on_rock]

Nice insight tuffgirl

[sk]

Nice insight tuffgirl

 

 

thank you

[i_like_sun]

i am the wrong person to ask about not over doing it. i over eat, over exercise i get over involved with people, i work too much, i am an over protective parent...

 

you are correct, our society does reward those who over do...

 

but we need to take the way of Tao... and do by not doing we need to practice being the un-carved block. we need to balance our activity with periods of inactivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding and noticing that balance is the trick, isn't it? Its crazy. We can all say these things and actually verbalize what it is we need, but more often than not actually slowing down and practicing our words never happens. I can remember on some of my climbs last year, thinking "man, holy shit, I'm really fucking tired! I need to EAT! I need to SLEEP!". Why then, couldn't I stop myself??????????? I've payed such a price this year because of these mistakes. I find myself now, doing so much better at listening, and yet still learning how to recognize what my body is telling me.

 

I'm realizing at this point that this "episode" can only heal with time. It will pass, and things will heal! I mean, if Lance can win 7 tours with one testical, dude...... I just long to be healthy and strong again SOOOOOOO much. I can't tell you how much bloody injury I've been through, I'm finished with it.............

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your words Muffy

[sk]

i am the wrong person to ask about not over doing it. i over eat, over exercise i get over involved with people, i work too much, i am an over protective parent...

 

you are correct, our society does reward those who over do...

 

but we need to take the way of Tao... and do by not doing we need to practice being the un-carved block. we need to balance our activity with periods of inactivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding and noticing that balance is the trick, isn't it? Its crazy. We can all say these things and actually verbalize what it is we need, but more often than not actually slowing down and practicing our words never happens. I can remember on some of my climbs last year, thinking "man, holy shit, I'm really fucking tired! I need to EAT! I need to SLEEP!". Why then, couldn't I stop myself??????????? I've payed such a price this year because of these mistakes. I find myself now, doing so much better at listening, and yet still learning how to recognize what my body is telling me.

 

I'm realizing at this point that this "episode" can only heal with time. It will pass, and things will heal! I mean, if Lance can win 7 tours with one testical, dude...... I just long to be healthy and strong again SOOOOOOO much. I can't tell you how much bloody injury I've been through, I'm finished with it.............

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your words Muffy

 

part of what i had to accept, is that i will never be an athlete like lance. EVER. the harder i train the more injuries i get. this confuses and frustrates my trainer to no end. the harder i work the more set backs i have. I didn't even know i liked doing physical things until i was in my late 20's... so at least you had an opertunity to be on the top of your game. for me it is best to be moderate, any thing more and i hurt myself and anything less and i start to gain weight..

 

i am not good at listening to my body eighther. i can not hear it say when it is full or hungry. pain i hear.

[DanO]

Just a short note, Over training should be avoided, but a hard

training athlete needs more nutrition as well as more calores.

Sadly common American food has poor nutrition, I do juicing,

eat organic and do supplements. Be careful with supplements you

can over do them, watch your kidneys when using protein powders. Be careful with Herbals as well.

 

One example, common non organic Produce has pesticides, the soil is long used and often depleted of nutrients. It is common

sense that a hard working athlete needs more of everything to

recover. But at the same time don't overwork your organs, such

as kidneys and liver.

 

Hope this helps, there is a world of alternative information

out there.

 

Dan

[i_like_sun]

Thanks Dan.

 

I've been reading lately that the newest views on overtraining are saying that it truely IS an eating disorder. Basically, it only happens when raw materials, vitamins and minerals are not replaced quikely enough for the body to support current metabolism. One physician I chat with says that it would not happen if athletes were able to "stomach" thier training - meaning they need to be able to eat enough WHILE they exercise.. This understanding makes a lot of sense to me.

 

I'm glad this thread is still alive, because I personally think that more athletes deal with some form of this more than we realize.

[Yeman]

FREAK!

[lizard_brain]

Hey, thanks for the reply!

 

I guess the hardest thing for me, as I said above, is simply realizing that I'm having to [ease] back into the athletic scene. Just several months ago, I was lifting weights five days a week while going to school, and weaving in running, biking and climbing wherever I could. My big mistake was simply not to plan out adequate rest and CALORIES. Now, after so many months of basically having to "stop", I'm simply just trying to listen to my system, and do as much as I can without ending up crashed out again. Its a bloody fine line though! If I can do this right, I'm hoping to be back to normal by mid-spring.

 

So - you're back to normal?

[i_like_sun]

Crap dude, when I wrote this post I had no idea how f***ing long this road to healing was going to be. Yes, I am back to being "active", but my ideas of "normal" have had to change a bit. Normal used to be "super human" activity and strength - but what is crazy is that nowadays I'm WAAAY stronger and bigger than I was before, but I train a lot less. The secret is all about quality over quantity and good FUNCTIONAL exercise (meaning, throw out all the calf raises and do squats and running - and not to mention a lot of FOOD).

 

I'll just throw this out there: Having a lot of muscle is SOOOOO MUCH FUN! I feel bad for all the guys out there running miles every day while they starve themselves - you can just look in the mirror or go to pick up a heavy pack and see and feel the difference! When you've got strength and energy, you just don't give a shit about anything - nothing can get under your skin.

[lizard_brain]

Quality vs. quantity is one of the topics frequently covered by distance running training manuals - it used to be a matter of just putting in as many miles as possible to train for a marathon. Now it's broken down into different types of runs during the week - long runs, tempo runs, recovery runs, etc. - it's possible to get better training from running 40 miles a week than it is running 70-80, depending on how you do it.

 

And lifting weights - I just started a couple of months ago, and I'm surprised at the difference it makes. I've gained a few pounds in just 8 weeks or so, and I'm already planning on cutting my routine in half in another month or two. (Marathon training starts.) Core strength is good for running, but each pound added takes .84 minutes off of a marathon finish time. So each pound of muscle I add, I feel like I have to lose that much fat - but on the other hand I've already lost at least 25 pounds in the last year - but now that I'm gaining the muscle I feel like I still have to loose a little more fat to compensate.

[i_like_sun]

Dude, it sounds like you are doing really well, but a little more muscle will do only one thing for you: MAKE YOU BETTER. Marathon running burns so many calories and taxes your body's stress response so much, having more lean tissue to draw from will only enhance your performance. I wouldn't worry about "losing this, or gaining that" or whatever, just train effectively (meaning quality) eat enough to FULLY RECOVER from every session, and your body will know what to do. You might say "well, Lance loses weight for the Tour De France". I'd might say "yeah thats true, but Lance has MILLIONS of $$$$ in personal trainers and coaches at his disposal to make sure his blood work stays solid". Us recreational athletes have to remember that we don't have the financial backing that the world's top class athletes do, and therefore we are more likely to get in the way of our own success by overtraining and under-eating.

 

When you said "each pound [of muscle] added takes .84 minutes off of a marathon finish time" I don't think that is necessarily true. Muscle is a highly active tissue, and if that extra mass is in the right places (like your core) it will only help you run faster and harder for longer. There are studies that show that total muscle strength corresponds to greater endurance strength, but it DOES NOT go the other way around. Shitty, I know. My point is, is that you've got to preserve the protein in your big type-2 fast twitch muslce fibers, otherwise your running speed will drop and your metabolism will slow - which f***s up your ability to recover.

 

One last thing, I have a friend in my program at school who competes in marathons. She and I have had a few really good discussions about training philosophy, and one interesting thing she brought up is that she discovered that her running ability never got REALLY good until she started running less, and lifting more. I won't lie to to you, she is in INSANE shape - would easily kick my ass. She says she lifts weights easily as much as she runs (even when marathon training) and also that until she started doing more strength work, she encountered a lot more injury cycles.

 

I hope this helps you a little.

[lizard_brain]

I'll add one more thing on the topic of overtraining... I was at my doc's this morning, and he was saying good job on the weight loss and the lower blood pressure, and I was asking him if I could or should loose any more weight for running. He said I shoudn't loose much more if any, or I would risk compromising my immune system or going into overtraining. (I tend to catch colds when I am overtraining.) Interesting. (I'll add that my PCP is also a sports medicine specialist.)

 

He also told me that my diet is about as healthy as one can get, but I should keep an eye on the protein, since I don't eat much meat, and hinted that I should look into protein powders when I am in full training mode for the marathon.