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When your legs feel like logs...
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 2007-05-04 8:26 AM |
Member  121  , Hawaii |  Subject: When your legs feel like logs...Here's my current conundrum, and it's one I face regularly. My legs currently feel like logs. Usually, I would use this as an excuse to not train for a day, and perhaps take a nap or something else. No harm there and I always feel more refreshed the next day. But this year, in my attempt to qualify for Boston (3:10 for AG), I'm trying to not necessarily deprive myself of rest, but maybe run 5-6 days a week regularly. I know I can go and do an easy run in place of rest, but my question is...which will ultimately make me a better runner? Allowing my body to rest (being lazy?) or tacking on easy miles to get my body acclimated for more mile? |
| 2007-05-04 9:20 AM in reply to: #788367 |
Not a Coach 11473   Media, PA | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... You've run for the last 4 days. You could rest today and still run 5-6 days this week. Or, you could try to run easy today and see how your legs feel tomorrow. It may be that you'll be able to recover OK even doing a run. You certainly don't want to run on "logs" all the time--especially key runs. But it's OK if you feel that way sometimes as long as you are still able to recover before it impacts those key workouts. Probably takes a degree of trial and error on your part. |
| 2007-05-04 10:42 AM in reply to: #788367 |
Regular 82 Cleveland, OH | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... If your legs feel like logs you're probably not getting the most of your training. If it's only an occasional thing and only lasts a couple days, I'd say train through it. If it's a fairly regular state of being you probably need to back off a little. My (college and elite level running and racewalking) coach almost always caps us at 5 days of running/walking. Usually four of those are quality with one easy day. I'll bet you'd be fine sticking to 5, rather than 6 days, and even cutting to 4 on the rare occasion if your legs are really struggling. I find my legs aren't so fresh feeling after more than 3 straight days of walking so like having 2 cross train days. Trial and error though. Find what works best for you. Make sure not to burn out overtraining though! |
| 2007-05-04 10:46 AM in reply to: #788367 |
Master 2099 Madison, WI | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... Get in the pool and do some pull-buoy sets - you'll still work on cardio, but give your legs a break.  |
| 2007-05-04 11:24 AM in reply to: #788367 |
Member 121 , Hawaii | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... Thanks guys. I think I'm leaning towards running through this, but going easy especially on days like this. It's definitely not chronic...just the feeling I suppose most normal people would develop after running several days consecutively. I'd like to try and get my body to adapt to this schedule and see how it works out. |
| 2007-05-04 12:16 PM in reply to: #788367 |
Coach 9167 Stairway to Seven | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... Keep in mind you get stronger when you are resting. I don't think that even a "recovery run" is as beneficial for true rest as is easy crosstraining like a swim or just walking through the woods. The point of doing a "recovery" workout is just to increase the blood flow to the muscles, not to restress the muscles. Your body will adjust to the schedule as you continue to do the schedule, and you need to gradually build up to it. You may find that resting today will make you feel stronger in 2 days, givingg you a better workout in 2 days. It's better to be 5% undertrained than 5% overtrained (and hurt/injured). Let us know how it goes. |
| 2007-05-04 1:21 PM in reply to: #788367 |
Runner | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... I have the same goal. Personally, I get that dead feeling more after a race or long run. I prefer active recovery, too. But I run alot. If you can isolate when you get that dead feeling, you can look at what might cause it. It might be nutrition, it might be hard training the day before. It might just be you're tired. |
| 2007-05-04 1:31 PM in reply to: #788971 |
Member 121 , Hawaii | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... If you can isolate when you get that dead feeling, you can look at what might cause it. It might be nutrition, it might be hard training the day before. It might just be you're tired. That's kind of what I'm trying to pinpoint. I've noticed that when I do get that dead legs feeling, I eat more breads, energy bars and baked goods (read: brownies and cakes). I'm probably going to reintroduce cytomax or maybe endurox in my training and see how it affects my body. I think on the example of Dean Karnazes and his 50/50 accomplishment, and wonder at the marvels of the body's adaptive qualities. I'll never have a team of nutritionists and masseuses taking care of me, but surely I must be able to do a fraction of what he did. |
| 2007-05-04 2:28 PM in reply to: #788367 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... agaliza - 2007-05-04 8:26 AM Here's my current conundrum, and it's one I face regularly. My legs currently feel like logs. Usually, I would use this as an excuse to not train for a day, and perhaps take a nap or something else. No harm there and I always feel more refreshed the next day. But this year, in my attempt to qualify for Boston (3:10 for AG), I'm trying to not necessarily deprive myself of rest, but maybe run 5-6 days a week regularly. I know I can go and do an easy run in place of rest, but my question is...which will ultimately make me a better runner? Allowing my body to rest (being lazy?) or tacking on easy miles to get my body acclimated for more mile? Well, I don't know what your AG is... but this month's Runners World has an article about how someone who is over 45 can benefit from every other day running... versus running every day. They said that the rest does more benefit than running back to back days... and instead of a bunch of short runs and one long run, you might do a short run, a speed work run, and then a LSD. The guy in the article said he did this... and he PR'ed at his next marathon. |
| 2007-05-04 2:35 PM in reply to: #789131 |
Runner | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... If he needs a 3:10 to BQ, he's 34 or younger. That article sound similar to the FIRST program. I've heard mix reviews on it. From the people who have made it work, they had to do aerobic stuff on the non-run days. And they were very strict about adhering to the runs (you can't miss one, and they need to be as prescribed). The ones who didn't have success with FIRST either ran too hard, or didn't do enough cross-training, or some combination. I'm not saying it's good or bad, I'm just relating what I've learned. I do think, though, that if your goal is to BQ, and you don't have a good number of marathons under your belt, you're probably better off running more. But that's a personal opinion. |
| 2007-05-04 2:57 PM in reply to: #789154 |
Member 121 , Hawaii | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... I'm not saying it's good or bad, I'm just relating what I've learned. I do think, though, that if your goal is to BQ, and you don't have a good number of marathons under your belt, you're probably better off running more. But that's a personal opinion. I *think* I've done enough marathons (6 or so) to know what I have to do to BQ, that's why I'm leaning more towards active recovery to add more miles after the quality workouts. We'll see how things turn out as the summer progresses. I'll definitely add crosstraining to my routine to give my body a break from the pounding, but my primary focus will be the running. |
| 2007-05-04 3:07 PM in reply to: #789225 |
Runner | Subject: RE: When your legs feel like logs... agaliza - 2007-05-04 3:57 PM I'm not saying it's good or bad, I'm just relating what I've learned. I do think, though, that if your goal is to BQ, and you don't have a good number of marathons under your belt, you're probably better off running more. But that's a personal opinion. My comments were specifically aimed at anyone in particular, more observational. |
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