running longer

.... so im getting in the longer runs ... max best 20 miles ... but when I come to doing the other things like badminton and playing 5 a side footy i've foond ive got a lot slower !!

 How can that be ?

 Im the fittest I think Ive ever been , but am frustrated that ive got slower on the other activities.

 Your thoughts please

I expect you're tired.

Are you keeping up with the speed work? Long slow miles are brilliant for endurance but if you don't mix in some tempo runs etc speed can suffer and you might lose a bit of sharpness? It's all to do with fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers I think.

Merlie
Football training and marathon training are not particularly mutually inclusive.
The link below might help - as TL says you need to mix things up

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=9254&PageNum=&CategoryID=
BOl

Merlie, many have tried to fuse running with running, but the regrettable truth is that the running is good for the fitness for football, but the football is a disaster for the running.

Also you can expect to lose plenty of sharpness on the pitch, which is what I think you're saying in your post.

Also, unless you're unusual, it'll be very hard to play with the same commitment and bravery, as you know that any knock might ruin half a week/ a week etc of your running training/

thanks for your thoughts guys .... half marathon round the corner so may forget about doing anything other than running till then anyway.

I was getting into the groove and heading towards the idea of a full marathon .... mmmmm guess I need to re-awaken those fast twitch muscles.

Merlie, not all doom & gloom.

I played 5 a side every week for nearly all last year, just stopped a couple of weeks before a marathon with no ill effects. I actually used it as a speed session of sorts, 3 miles roughly, but lots of bursts of speed. Garmin stats backed this up IMO.

Just get some speed work in , some hard fast runs in.

Does depend how competitive your 5 a side game is, friendly ish or real full on? If full on , then I'd say no.

Playing tomorrow actually, club run during evening. It is on astro turf, so carpeted, I always think how similar astro boots are to trail shoes. If playing on grass forget it.. Killer for ankles. Astro is nowhere near as bad.