Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Why are recoveries so hard?
![[Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/a22239ccdec8ba3259c4848708a341e7_100.png)
[Deleted User]
✭✭✭
in Training
I know I asked about this recently but I'm getting really frustrated with my recovery runs and HRs. In the last week I've had 3 rest days, only one hard session (6 mile tempo run), and my 3 'easy' runs have been really hard. My HRM was showing my HR to be between 55-60% WHR but my breathing felt really hard and it was an effort not to slow down. Last night I was trying to hold a conversation with my daughter riding her bike along side, again at the same low HR and I felt I was really out of breath even though my HRM was telling me I was well within 'conversation pace'. What's happening? It just doesn't seem to fit what I know about training with an HRM.
This year I've trained for 2 marathons and a 23 mile fell run, could it be that it's finally caught up with me?
This year I've trained for 2 marathons and a 23 mile fell run, could it be that it's finally caught up with me?
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Just a couple of thoughts for what they are worth:
Inability to achieve or maintain a sessions target heart rate is normally an indication of not been recovered enough for the session – even those in the 55-60% range
If you do not already, you could start taking and recording your heart rate each morning to monitor your body’s readiness to train – an increase of just 2-3 beats could indicate that you have not fully recovered.
Are your rest days total rest days? or are you tempted to “just do a little bit of cross-training”? - your body needs at least 1-day of total rest a week
Another thing that may be worth consideration is to cut back on your training (both duration and intensity) for 1-week in every 4.
Will
"Easy" runs feeling hard with relatively low HR sounds like a classic overtraining symptom.
Having said that, you did have a great hilly run a couple of nights ago didn't you? Maybe that took more out of you than you thought.
I suspect the only thing you could do is try to go even slower on your easy runs - which is something I would hate & mentally find very difficult. I'm doing a fairly short recovery myself tonight on grass and am not looking forward to it - basically just regard it as a necessary chore.
Failing that, schedule yourself an extra rest day each week until such time as you feel a bit perkier.
hth
I know I'm not alone in finding it difficult to rest more and take time to recover - us runners are an impatient lot generally aren't we?
Think I'll take up your suggestion and record my HR first thing, used to do this but have got out of the habit.
My RHR is generally between 37 & 39 but during intensive training periods it may hover around the 43/44 mark the day following a hard session. When that happens I'll do a very easy recovery run and know that the following day it'll be back under 40. Under no circumstances will I do any running if it hasn't dropped below 50.
Today, for example I did 5.4 miles at 7am, a tough weight session in the afternoon and was ready to go for another 5.4 mile run at 5pm, but my HR was too high. Had to wait until after 6pm before it had dropped below 50. If it hadn't I wouldn't have went out.
As for the recovery runs feeling too hard - don't use your HRM.
Another thing to be aware of is the fact that most of us are guilty of assuming that when our times are getting slower or our training seems less effective that we are overtrained. However, similar effects can be achieved by not training hard enough or not doing the correct workouts. It could be that a review of your training is required.
I've never paid my resting HR much attention so that's an idea to try. Think I'll also schedule in a 'time trial' on one of my flat routes to see if I've actually improved or not of late. Watch this space, I'm sure to moan as hell if I haven't!
I'm as big a fan of HRM's as anyone but I would have to agree with the above, sounds like an accumulation of overtraining. If you don't feel tired, go for a run, but leave the HRM at home - at most I use mine twice a week and only for specific session - you need to recover mentally as well as physically and worrying about your recovery HRM doesn't sound right to me.
Two additional thoughts
1.Have you redone a stress test recently? With all the training you've been doing it could be that you max has moved.
2. If you're using Karhoven (sounds like you are) then remeber that 55-60% of WHR would put you much higher on some of the straight max measures. You may just be running too hard!
Have you read Parker's Compleat Idiot book on HRM training? He's so insistent that most runners find running under 70% frustratingly easy. That's why I've worried why I'm finding it difficult, on some days, to get anywhere near.