Resting & Recovery

What does over-training actually mean and why is it a bad thing? Training is good, it's how we improve as runners, it's how we get fitter, faster and stronger. So what does it mean to over-train and are we all guilty of it at one time or another?

My opinions on this subject has changed recently, I've always sat at around 20-25 miles per week and that worked for me. That was 2 hard club sessions a week, a tempo run or Parkrun on a Saturday and a long run on a Sunday and that kept me fit and racing well and anytime I tried to add an extra session in I got injured, so to me that was when I entered the realm of over-training. Over lock down I've taken on some 1to1 run clients that I run with and overnight I went from 4 runs a week to 9 runs a week with double sessions on at least 3 of those, my mileage went up to 50-60 miles a week and I've been running 3 weeks solid before I get a rest day. So, why haven't I picked up an injury? Why did I run my fastest 5k in 5 years this week? Am I over training or am I actually conditioning my body to be a better runner?

The key here is not how much training I am doing but what type of training I am doing. I still do 2 hard sessions a week, one tempo run and one long run. My other runs are steady paced, they are ran in zone 1 or 2 and are enjoyable runs where my focus is my client and I am given the chance to sit back a little and relax my form and just enjoy running for what it is. My cardiovascular fitness has increased, my heart rate remains lower for longer on runs and my form has improved.

Over training exists of course and it's a real issue for so many runners and I know if I put an extra hill session or intervals in each week I would inevitably get injured and equally I know runners that do 4-5 hard sessions each week without any issue. So whats the main lesson here? It's that good old favourite of 'listen to your body' and if you feel you need a day off, then take a day off, be disciplined and focused in your training and it will come good.