November 16, 2010

Unbreak my Heart

Nope.  Not that kind of broken heart.  But this may be something worse.  I may be flirting with overtraining syndrome.  (And my flirting, I mean, I may have leapt into OTS' open arms.)  I've ramped up the miles and cross-training over the past few weeks cuz I've been feeling pretty good.  And I even did accidental speedwork/pace run yesterday.  I know I just ran a marathon Sunday, but my legs feel good and my training plan called for a Monday run.  (Ok, ok.  My training plan also called for Sunday to be 20 miles, not 26, but I skipped the 10 mile pace run Saturday to accommodate.  Should be ok, right?)

Well, apparently I went wrong somewhere.  I was planning an easy 8 this morning before I head out on a road trip this afternoon.  I laced up my shoes and headed out the door full of optimism.  Jogging casually down the street I glanced at my Garmin to see... Holy heart rate, Batman!  My heart rate is WAY too high.  I doing almost 9:30 minute miles but my heart rate was almost 180.  That's not right.

I slowed it down and kept an eye on the Garmin.  I figured it must  be a mistake.  Sometimes my heart rate is a bit high for the first mile as I warm up.  But no.  I got to Audubon Park where I would have branched off for two 3-mile loops and I was still around 175.  Mission abort.  I really struggled internally, as I felt ok, but heart rates don't lie.  I guess I need a couple days off.  (To give some context, I ran 12 miles at 9:12 pace last week with an average heart rate of 145.  Today, I ran 2 miles at 9:31 pace with an average heart rate of 174.  Bummer.)

Luckily, today I'm driving to Birmingham and tomorrow I'll head to Cleveland.  I'm starting a month long road trip, hitting a bunch of interviews I have lined up for post-graduation all over the country.  So getting in work-outs is already going to be a challenge.  I just won't try that hard to squeeze them in the next couple days and pick up next week (1 week into taper.)

And just in case, to anyone who might consider breaking into my house... reconsider:
1.  I have 2 roommates who'll still be here.
2.  One of my roommates has 2 evil dogs.  (Ok.  Maybe not evil, but loud.  They'll bark your head off and lick you to death!)
3.  I'm a grad student.  There's nothing to steal anyway.

Have any of you run into overtraining syndrome?  How long did you have to back off?  Did I just throw away my chance of a BQ in 3 weeks or am I ok since I'm tapering anyway?  Ahhh!

9 comments:

  1. I don't think you are overtrained (that takes a LONG time to do). I just think you need some rest and to take it easy for a few days.

    Have a good drive!

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  2. I am so so sorry!! You need to take a break...good thing for the road trip. I have injured my knee because of overtraining. I am out for 3 months now:( Good luck and keep us updated. I think you will still be able to BQ!!! Don't worry I won't try to break in and I love that you clarified that there is nothing to steal anyway, I hear ya!

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  3. Over-trained/under-trained...you're trained and ready! Go get it!

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  4. You picked a dank, dark day to visit Cleveland! Good luck with your interviews, and hope you get the heart rate thing under control soon!

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  5. That happened to me once. It was a weird feeling. O took a week off and was feeling better the next week. =) maybe you need a break too =)

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  6. LOL at the home-warnings. i'll pass, but thanks!

    i used to be very good at checking my RHR in the mornings, and if it was high i took the day off. i haven't been good at that for quite awhile now (uh like 2 yrs) and i just got over a case of overtraining (at least that's what i think it was -- or OT + health issues).

    anyway, one day won't throw you off track. it's much worse to put that one extra piece of straw on the camel's back and be sidelined for weeks or months!

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  7. That's crazy how high your heart rate was. You probably need a break and some rest! I hope you have a good trip! I am a recruiter so I can empathize with interviewees. :) GOOD LUCK!! And have a good trip.

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  8. You shouldn't worry too much about the BQ. This happens to me every time I push too hard just after a race. I would just take some days off and rest A LOT, if possible - although being a graduate student doesn't really lend itself to that, does it? - and eat well. You should try again in a couple of days. You haven't been feeling dizzy or faint otherwise, have you?

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