Advice on overtraining?

Snuffles Best advice I've sene in ages, and I completly agree...

I constantly hit it hard carrying injuries, colds whatever... and just run through them, it's bad and in the end, there comes a point when your body says no more...
By thw way, when overtrained, I personally think it can take upto 6 weeks to recover properly... like recovering from a marathon,.... longer than you think!


Pug

First thing I've always been told about training is "listen to your body". You say you've been feeling more tired of late and the infections occurred after big events ie when you have been pushing to the max. I would suggest immediate re-evaluation of your goals over the next 3 months with a key aim being recovery (different from rest!) and a chat with your GP. You may be carrying a viral infection (for example) but your body is strong enough to fight and control it for the most part but your immune system is compromised when stressed beyond the norm. Blood tests may shed some light.

As a follow on from my comment above, this months Runners World carries a warning from a Dr that viral infections (herpes "shingles" virus is the one featured) may start to affect health when mileage is pushed over 70 per week. Interesting that you do over 70mpw and the fatigue kicks in when you stress further i.e. races.

Really fantastic answers, guys. You've made me feel a lot better about the time I took off after my last marathon - back then I thought I'd "lost it" and was being lazy. From what you say, my body was just desperate for a complete rest.

I'm just editing the Reader to Reader article now to include your advice. Snuffles gets a whole extra page!

After nearly a year out from running I am finally back to training again. I really felt like giving up, as numerous blood tests, mis diagnosis(cronic fatigue syndrome) and even seeing a doc from the English Institute of sport couldn't find what what the matter with me.
I am 17 year old female and finally after so many blood tests (I lost count), heart scans and an ECG it was diagnosed I had been suffering from a virus that I just couldn't get rid of.
Its a struggle after all his time-people I used to streak past in training are now ahead of me so its obviously going to be lots of hard work to get back to the standard I was at before.
I am targeting my County XC Championships or the South of England XC Championships both in January as my "comeback races" but this may well be too soon-I'll just have to see how I'm doing then.
I used to laugh when people said they "were unwell with a virus" but not any more I know just how hard they can be to get rid of!

Thanks for all the advice, everyone.

Took the fortnight off (and felt rubbish-two migraines in that period normally get that many in a year if I'm unlucky), resting HR is now higher still.

Blood tests are all clear as are chest x-rays.

Just back from a 40 minute run under 75% maxHR. Lovely to be running again-felt as it should for that HR i.e. easy- but pace is way way down. Next three weeks I intend to run only five days a week with absolutely nothing over 75%.

Will be interesting to see how it goes over the next couple of weeks-I also need to get some tricks sorted for not thinking/obsessing about pace.

Happy New Year!

Well done Frisp and Happy New Year to you too. Stick with it.. you'll be amazed how quickly your sub75% pace comes up.

Be secure in the knowledge that you are absolutely doing the right thing.