5 Crucial Overtraining Signs in Runners

Running lovers can never get enough of it. They love running fast and hitting long distances. It’s just hard to stop when you are addicted to something. Running is no different than an addiction. For a running junkie, a daily round of running is compulsory and without a daily dose, a sportsman can have mood swings. However, it comes with a price. Though running is good for overall health, its excess can cause muscle fatigue. In fact, if you are training hard without ample rest, you will suffer from over-training syndrome.

In general, over training syndrome results in general fatigue and recurring inflammation along with other symptoms? Perhaps, your running technique needs to be addressed but without sufficient rest, recovery will take longer than you can imagine. Watch out for these symptoms and take some time out when they appear.

Heavy legs

Heavy legs syndrome is a condition where your legs get sore to an extent such that dragging them along becomes impossible. However, this syndrome must not be confused with the general muscle stiffness from the first day of running. In case, the feeling of sluggishness remains persistent even after taking rest, then it could be an early stage of heavy leg syndrome.

More time in recovery

A runner can be the best judge of his over-training symptoms. For instance, when it takes more time to recover from muscle soreness during interval training, this could be an indicator that the body has undergone over-training  On the flip side, a healthy runner will find a decrease in recovery time.

Sleep pattern disturbed

In some cases the muscle soreness from training and the general body aches are so intense that it gets difficult for the athlete to fall asleep. Your body and mind has taken too much stress and it is in dire need to relax. While you take rest, your body slowly regains strength to go back to action.

Loss of appetite

You might not know what over-training did to you internally. Besides other changes, too much running causes disturbance in hormonal levels. In fact, too much of any exercise can trigger the release of epinephrine and nor epinephrine. Besides causing other changes, these hormones result in loss of appetite. Without ample diet, runner’s performance can be affected.   

Increased heart rate during rest

As a result of over-training  an athlete’s heart keeps pumping harder even when there is no need for it. Increased heart rate in the state of rest is a confirmed sign of intense training and all the above mentioned signs are a clear indication that your body is rejecting this change.