Hit a Virtual Brick Wall-Any advice??

ilovetorun

I have been running for the past 3 years. I have completed a good few half marathons,10km races and hopefully this year the DCM. I run 4/5 times a week varying from fast 4 milers, 10km runs to long slow 14 milers. I have always been confident in my ability to do my best so I cannot understand how out of nowhere in each of my runs last week that I hit a virtual brick wall and had to stop running and walk for a bit. I felt like I just 'couldn't make it' and just had to stop. I took part in a 10km race yesterday and to my utter despair I had to stop 3 times:( I cant understand it when I know I am fit and more than capable of completing it without stopping and in a good time.
Does anyone have any advice on how to get over this bloody wall?? Its killing me and my confidence is at an all time low.
BTW, I haven't changed my diet or sleep pattern
Thanks Guys

RoyMcC

I sympathise. It's happened to me twice in recent years. Again no obvious reason. The second time I had a series of medical tests done which didn't show anything amiss. I had food allergy testing, the lot.

The bad news is that it lasted for months on both occasions. The good news is that I persisted and found the ability (such as it is) again and am now running better than ever.

Overtraining might have caused the breakdown, but really I'm of little use to you other than to sympathise.

Good luck and I look forward to other responses.

superjosh9

I don't quite know where I fit into the scheme of things when it comes to running. My pbs are all pretty good, 10k is 38 mins, 5 k 17mins etc., but I seem to go through phases of motivation. In any one year, I'll probably run well for 3-6 months, but then one day, I'll just stop plain stop and ask myself 'why am I doing this?' I'll then almost always decide 'I'm never running again.'

Six months will then pass by...

Then suddenly I'll launch into it with more enthusiasm than ever before. It's a weird cycle.

Maybe you just need to take a break from running and try something else for a while. You can keep fitness ticking over with gym/swimming/cycling etc. As it is these days, I can usually take a couple of weeks off, but come back and run a good race due to a good core fitness, which you probably have. Don't worry and take it easy!

another world

Periodisation of your training may help a bit, especially if the issue is motivation. At least you´ll have a good target every time you start on a new period of training and you´ll know you have a bit of a rest afterwards.

tunguska

ilovetorun wrote: »

I have been running for the past 3 years. I have completed a good few half marathons,10km races and hopefully this year the DCM. I run 4/5 times a week varying from fast 4 milers, 10km runs to long slow 14 milers. I have always been confident in my ability to do my best so I cannot understand how out of nowhere in each of my runs last week that I hit a virtual brick wall and had to stop running and walk for a bit. I felt like I just 'couldn't make it' and just had to stop. I took part in a 10km race yesterday and to my utter despair I had to stop 3 times:( I cant understand it when I know I am fit and more than capable of completing it without stopping and in a good time.
Does anyone have any advice on how to get over this bloody wall?? Its killing me and my confidence is at an all time low.
BTW, I haven't changed my diet or sleep pattern
Thanks Guys

Ive had something similiar happen and I just hung in there. Kept doing the best training I could on any given day, even if that wasnt up to previous standards. It passed and soon enough I was back on form. Be mindful of your own thoughts aswell. I mean if you dont feel 100% for whatever reason its very easy to feel even worse by thinking negatively. Have faith my friend, dont throw in the towel but dont flog yourself either.

BeepBeep67

I think we all have ups and downs from time to time, ease back for a while or try something different. I find a varied training plan helps me, both in quantity and quality, looking back on my log with the exception of a couple of back to back recovery runs, no 2 days are the same. Maybe ditch the longer stuff for a while, get on the track for some interval training and enter some 1500 and 3k races where you don't have to worry about finishing.

iceage

Try not to beat yourself up. Maybe over doing it a bit and need a bit of a break. Your body is telling you something, listen to it.

Ceepo

Firstly make sure you drink enough water as even 10% dehydration can lead to a massive difference

Second
Get back to enjoying your running
Leave the watch, Garmin, or what ever else you use at home and run to what you feel
Enjoy the run, take the time to look around and just relax
You don't have to break any record's, just get back to basic's relax and enjoy it you will come around and dont beat your self up.
May be i'm wrong but most people run because we enjoy it and then we get all caught up on trying to beat everyone and forget why we started running in the first place

Remember you dont become a bad runner over night

Hang in there and you'll be fine

ilovetorun

Thanks for all your advice guys, its hard to not beat myself up over it but I'm just going to persevere and try to get past it.

What doesn't kill me will make me stronger -right???

RubyK

I'm not in your league, ilovetorun, but I had a similar experience on Sunday, and like you my confidence has taken a severe knocking. Here's hoping we get our mojo back asap

ilovetorun

RubyK-Was it a race you took part in on Sunday? I took part in the Splashworld 10km in Tramore-it was a nightmare for me:eek:

RubyK

ilovetorun wrote: »

RubyK-Was it a race you took part in on Sunday? I took part in the Splashworld 10km in Tramore-it was a nightmare for me:eek:

It was the Splashworld 10K! I was really disappointed with my preformance! Sorry to hear you had a bad one too

shels4ever

I think you learn more from bad days then good days, I've had a crap few months but have starting to turn it around now, I know i wont run as well as this time last year, but i'm 100% sure that I'm going to have some big pb's come the summer.
You can't run pb's in ever race, need to jsut pin point what works for you. If it was ment to be easy we'd all be elite....

RoyMcC

Shels I think the OP is talking about almost a complete breakdown i.e. not being able to run properly for an extended period of time. I found it bewildering and there appeared to be no answers. I can only imagine that it's some sort of overtraining syndrome.

It will pass, but you need to persevere. It may not be much fun.

shels4ever

RoyMcC wrote: »

Shels I think the OP is talking about almost a complete breakdown i.e. not being able to run properly for an extended period of time. I found it bewildering and there appeared to be no answers. I can only imagine that it's some sort of overtraining syndrome.

It will pass, but you need to persevere. It may not be much fun.

There is overtraining and there is a syndrome that involves micro tears in the muscles that result in fatigue. I'm not sure if that would be a factor , But i've seen people who training at the same level all year having simialr problems.

I've read a better article before but cant find the link, think HM posted it.

http://www.howtodothings.com/sports-recreation/how-to-recognize-the-signs-and-symptoms-of-overtraining

ilovetorun

RubyK-Hated the race in Tramore; it was a tough one even if I was on top form

RoyMcC- That's exactly how I feel and like you I'm totally baffled by it. Sorry to hear its happened to you too but at least I know I'm not going crazy

Shels- that article is very interesting..it advises to take a complete break. I'm not sure if I should-I might not go back running if I stop, esp feeling so down over it

I think I might head out tonight after work and see how it goes

gmurran

If you cant improve your training then improve other elements like try and get more sleep or eat healthier and hence have more energy.

RoyMcC

ilovetorun wrote: »

RoyMcC- That's exactly how I feel and like you I'm totally baffled by it. Sorry to hear its happened to you too but at least I know I'm not going crazy

And you probably feel fine in all other respects, in your non-running life. Which makes it all the weirder. Maybe we ought to start a support group

ecoli

ilovetorun wrote: »

I have been running for the past 3 years. I have completed a good few half marathons,10km races and hopefully this year the DCM. I run 4/5 times a week varying from fast 4 milers, 10km runs to long slow 14 milers. I have always been confident in my ability to do my best so I cannot understand how out of nowhere in each of my runs last week that I hit a virtual brick wall and had to stop running and walk for a bit. I felt like I just 'couldn't make it' and just had to stop. I took part in a 10km race yesterday and to my utter despair I had to stop 3 times:( I cant understand it when I know I am fit and more than capable of completing it without stopping and in a good time.
Does anyone have any advice on how to get over this bloody wall?? Its killing me and my confidence is at an all time low.
BTW, I haven't changed my diet or sleep pattern
Thanks Guys

You say you have been running for the last three years. Can i ask how do you take breaks at all? as a runner develops there muscle fibers shorten due to the demand of long distance running. An athlete should incorporate 2 to three weeks a year of compete rest from exercise to allow the muscle fibers to return to normal length. Some athletes break there training in to month cycles with three weeks normal training with one easy week instead it more an idea of trial an error but the fact is that an athletes needs this time to recover both physically an mentally. Try taking a week or two off completely and come back from there and you should be back to normal if not i would suggest heading to doctor to get bloods checked just to be certain.
Same thing happened me before christmas bloods came back clear but the two weeks break did me the world of good and i was back to normal.

hot to trot

Interesting article on overtraining recently in either runnersworld or running fitmess about this. 2 weeks rest seems to be the critical period for deciding diagnosis. If there is a rebound back to form or better than form then the body just needed the break ...excellent article worth digging out.

ilovetorun

As much as I wanted to out for a run last night to test myself I took the advice and decided not to and to take a break.
ecoli-I never knew that bouts of rest is recommended. I've just done the same training more or less week in week out.
I will take a week's break and see,fingers crossed
Thanks Guys

KentuckyPete

lovetorun, have you thought about trying some cross-training? Pack in the running and do some swimming or cycling for a month or so. Maybe sign up for an event (a sportive or an open water swim) in one of those two sports. You won't lose your running talent but you'll freshen your appetite.

The Sean Kelly cycle at the end of August is always a great event.

Granted the cycling will cost a bit if you have no bike but the swimming will cost almost nothing.

The bright evenings are here