Its tiredness Jim but not as we know it ...

[GeorgeD]

There was a time when I would still be reading a good book at 1am in the morning, or with my mates getting a burger and a shake at midnight, or even just thinking about going out at 10pm (a long time ago) for a beer - now the most likely thing to be happening at 10pm at night is my teenage daughter coming thru to kiss me goodnight (I am the one in bed) as I have read the same sentence 3 times dropping off to sleep between words - it sure ain't me espousing the opinion, "but I'm not tired " I get tired being tired , and what with the demands of work, family, training, and life in general, tiredness is something I live with (insert whining old moan here)

Anyway why is all this babble on the training forum - well you only have to read any biography of any athlete of any age of any sport anywhere on the planet to know that training tired is the norm. Now I accept that these are more than likely elite athletes (not many books written about plodders) but the question is still valid and that is:

What is tiredness
When are you to tired
How do you manage tiredness

There are very few times when I would go to the gym 'fizzing', often it can be a bit of an effort just to get there but usually this pre-session 'feeling' has little to do with the effort produced.

Anyway seems like a reasonable discussion point

George

[Yankeerunner]

A.) Tiredness is when it gets hard to get out of bed in the morning and/or there is lowered energy or enthusiasm for doing normal stuff.

B.) Tiredness happens when workouts and rest have gotten out of balance on the workout side.

C.) It is managed by either increasing rest or cutting the workload, and sometimes doing both simultaneously.


A couple of anecdotes: I had one athletically sweet period in my early 30's when I lived alone and could do as I wished to improve my running without inconviencing anyone else. I ran hard twice a day, taking things easy in between. I went to bed as soon as the second workout and supper were over, and slept until waking naturally (without having set an alarm clock). I stayed asleep for at least 8.5 hours, and sometimes as much as 11 or 12 when training the hardest. I had my best racing season since 7 years earlier when in my prime.

Second, for a brief period the great Henry Rono lived at a friend's apartment in my hometown while he was attempting a comeback. He ran two or three times a day but spent the rest of his time in bed sleeping, reading or watching TV. He told me that it was his standard modus operandi when running his best.

It's hard to gage tiredness, other than one's own perception. It doesn't show up as number on a PM3 (other than interpreting a slower pace as indicating it). Generally though I've found that it is almost a cliche among top athletes of all sports to say that they are tired all of the time. The edge of the envelope seems to be that thin area in which the best are able to judge how much of a massive training program (which is necessary to be a top athlete) is too much, and back off slightly just before reaching that point.

It's not easy, and is part of what separates the very good from the great.

Rick

[rowmyboat]

An interesting point George.

I think the weather also has some part to play in tiredness - I know a howling nor-wester makes for a weary body and mind at times. Tiredness for me is not being able to combine both body and mind for maximum benefit.
Quite simply, if I feel 'that' tired a rest day is scheduled.
I do agree though that it is an effort to turn-up at the gym regularly, but the results are surprising at times, despite the 'tiredness', in fact some of my better results are after recluctantly going to a session.
Perhaps, after all, tiredness is a 'state of mind'?

Shirley

[Anne]

A very interesting discussion point...and how there's a difference between being tired and fatigued. I know when I am mentally tired that I will push myself to get to the gym and blow-out the foggy feeling. Being physically fatigued is a different feeling but I rarely let myself slow down. Instead I will just have a lousy workout.

Is it more exhausting to do a long slower workout or a fast high effort piece?

If this doesn't make sense, I am too tired right now to think or write coherently. Off to bed.

[Rockin Roland]

I've often had that feeling of tiredness especially when I was training 6 days a week for a major erg race.

I'd get home from work and suddenly a feeling of tiredness would overcome me just before my erg workout. I'd sit on my erg glassy eyed and couldn't stop yawning. However once well into the workout my pace would be fine and the result still good.

Once the workout was completed there was a feeling of calmness and content. That would last through to the next day until time for the next workout was approaching. Back to that feeling of tiredness.

I figured this was all in the mind but none the less a clear message to me. I figured that erging virtually every day was becoming a dull and dreary existance for me and that there had to be a more enjoyable way of working out.

I found it. I bought a rowing scull and have never looked back since. It's a combination of being outdoors, feeling of motion over the water and actually travelling somewhere from the effort you put in. Streaching out to grab the water at the catch then pushing away with the legs and body and the thrill of the boat excellerating along the water with each stroke. Meeting and chatting to other rowers instead of being stuck in a room also made a huge difference.

I still erg though but certainly not every day. Briefly as a warm up before going out in the boat, the odd time trial and Rowpro online racing for fun.
I no longer experience that feeling of tiredness before a workout. If you experience it then your body is sending you a message for which you should take notice.

[jamesg]

Tiredness is what happens to wives when they have a house, a husband and children to look after.

[jamesg]

The symptoms described in other posts are not tiredness but withdrawal symptoms caused by lack of the drugs (endorphines) the brain produces when muscles work. The symptoms disappear once work starts.

[GeorgeD]

I think Anne and Rick both touched on something very important and that is maximum improvement often borders on the edge between tiredness and fatigue (that was a great word Anne). The true 'master' detects the delineating point and pulls back rather than 'falls' over.

George

[dg1951]

Having been a runner (20 years - 4 years regionally competitive), tiredness seemed to be a constant companion. Over the past year,,,, he's baaaaack!!!! I seriously wonder if it isn't the body's response to the training effect. Especially when you feel that it will be a herculean effort to just start the workout, followed by an amazing effort with relative ease.

I've always felt the adaptive response to training was the source of that feeling. Kind of like your body saying, " No,, wait,,, give me another 2 hours and I'll be world champion." I think the fact that an erg workout is a no impact workout (unlike running), it allows a competitive person the ability to go harder more often.

As long as your performance isn't dropping off, I think tiredness may well be a sign the training is working, in a weird sort of way.


Dan