[tater tash]

Hey there!

I recently signed up for a 10k for July and am eventually signing up for a half marathon for October. For the past month and a half or so, I've been following a training schedule that has me running four times a week, resting 2, and cross training on 1. 3 of my running days I average 2.5-4 miles and the other running day is used for long distance running. I do the long distance on Saturdays and 2 weeks ago I was able to go 7 miles comfortably, I had a really good time! During the the next week, my schedule made it difficult for me to run on my scheduled days, so I broke up the mileage between four days instead of 3.. and come last Saturday I aimed to go 8 miles, but I was miserable on the entire run. I don't think I was hydrated, I slept in and started my run too late, I had wind resistance (the devil!!) and I gave up at 7 miles.
I rarely drink, maybe once every 2 weeks I'll have a couple on a Saturday night after my long run is out of the way. So after running the 7 miles this past Saturday and friend came home from college and I had more to drink than I bargained for and woke up the next day hungover. He and I had planned to go hiking and as crappy as I felt, I felt obligated to go. Exhausted, I endured a verrrrry long FOUR HOUR HIKE! in the sun almost the entire time, with tough inclines and some rock climbing. I was a zombie.

So, for the past almost 2 months I was running on schedule. But, this week I was supposed to run yesterday and I just could NOT bring myself to do it. I can't even get myself out of bed in the morning to just walk on the treadmill for a quick 30 minutes. I just feel so burnt out, its ridiculous.
I still have been doing my other strength training routines though, but I can't seem to get the energy to do cardio.

Am I actually burnt out from this weekend or am I just lazy? I go to bed every night early with the intention of getting up early like I normally would do, but it hasn't happened since Sunday. I haven't been sleeping well either. The past 2 nights I know for a fact I havent been getting a full nights rest. I wake up often and can't fall back asleep as fast.

Should I accept that my body needs a bit of a rest? Or should I suck it up and get outside?

Sorry for writing a novel! But, I like to think that I am a motivated person and I feel like I'm giving up or something! I am proud to say that my eating habits are good. I have been eating very well and I have made sure I don't eat more than my sedentary 3 days can handle.

[choirgirlhotel]

Sounds to me like you're burnt out. And when that happens, it's really hard to get motivated again.

You should be proud though that you are listening to your body, and you took a rest when you needed to. There are times where I need to go for a run and I REALLY don't feel like it - so I ask myself: "do you just not feel like it or can you REALLY not do it".

If my answer is "I just don't feel like it", then I make myself go. I have never ONCE regretting going after that!

However, if my answer is "I truly cannot do it tonight" - then I just let it go and not do it. I find that it's really my body telling me to rest, and then the next day I'm fine and I can run again.

Making the distinction between "not feeling like it" and "truly cannot do it" is a very difficult one. But if you can do it, and trust your own instinct and your body, you will learn to give your body a rest when it wants to and not feel lazy about it.

Does that make sense?

~Choirgirl~

P.S. Of course the trap that you fall into sometimes is many many days of "I truly cannot do it" in which case, you are not being truthful with yourself or your body! lol.

[Athenawithheart]

Does your training plan have recovery weeks, that backs down the mileage? Those are really important when you are doing some intense training like this...

I don't think you're crazy at all. Your body's telling you that you need a break. Maybe you can do some relaxing, easy stuff -- swimming, easy walking, easy paced bicycle riding -- just to get the blood flowing, and then get back on track in a couple of days or a week.

[Thighs Be Gone]

alcohol slows me but that should be out of your system by now..the only other thing that will slow me is too many carbs or red meat

[MBN]

Agree -- sometimes you need a break! It won't slow you down in the long run.

I find I recover quicker from that state when I do something easy for a day or two, rather than not do anything. I'll do a walk, or a short run, or something completely different. If you give your body an easier change of pace, you'll bounce back in no time.

[Dianeofnka]

I've been wondering the same thing recently -- I'm training for a marathon, so I'm running 4 days a week and continuing to lift weights the other 3 days of the week. And after two weeks I don't even want to get out of bed.

[3fcuser1058250]

A week of rest type of exercises such as walking, yoga, light hiking is definitely a good idea when your body is telling you it's burnt out A burn out can lead to injury and then where would you be? Out of commission for much longer than just one week

[tater tash]

Thank you for all your replies and support! It was nice to know that I wasn't just being a lazy bum, I really needed that.
I'm getting out of my slump. I went for a walk yesterday and this morning I woke up with the sun and went for a 3 mile jog. It wasn't tough, but since I haven't stretched as much as I should, my legs felt a bit heavy and I couldn't keep a steady stride.
Oh well, at least I'm getting back out there

Thanks again so much!