The "F-word" of ironman training is fatigue. It sneaks up on you. When it hits you, sometimes you just don't know what to do. Yesterday, I woke up feeling great. I'd completed one of my best ironman training weeks ever, culminating with one of my most rigorous 20 mile runs ever. I had energy. I was looking forward to another solid week of training. By yesterday afternoon and evening, I was laying on the floor, not wanting to move. I was tired, I was doubtful, I felt like I needed a week of rest. The good news is that I've been here before. As I noted yesterday, delayed onset fatigue is similar to delayed onset muscle soreness. It's delayed! It takes a little while for the body to recognize the degree of fatigue that you're carrying. It also takes a little while for the endorphins from the week, and from the long run, to dissipate. When those endorphins dissipate, bam! The fatigue hits. It didn't help that we were babysitting my grandson. An hour and a half of playing with a cyclone of energy probably put just enough stress on my system to exacerbate my fatigue. Or not? It was probably going to be there anyway.
Ona positive note, the way my training has been going, I should snap out of this pretty quickly. I made sure to nap yesterday (twice!) and to graze all day on protein and carbohydrates. And, I stayed hydrated. Today is a long swim, which should be fine. I actually swam yesterday, and went for a short walk. I was going to do a short bike, but by the time I thought about it, it was 90 degrees outside, so I thought better of adding unnecessary stress to my already fatigued body. These are the important decisions on the road to being ironman fit. Recovering from fatigue is part of the process of getting fitter. It's also part of the process of becoming resistant to the fatigue itself. It's a fine line. Too much fatigue and one slides into overtraining. Too little fatigue and one doesn't continue to get stronger and more resilient on the journey to tolerating the rigors of ironman.
The hardest part about fatigue is the doubt. When you're really tired, doubt begins to seep into your mind. You wonder if you should do tomorrows workout? You wonder if you're on the edge of overtraining. For me, being a physician, I begin to wonder if there's something wrong with me. I feel the manifestations of fatigue and wonder if I have some sort of terminal illness. Of course, I stop, look at myself, realize that I've just rust for 20 miles, and remind myself that wouldn't be possible if I was dying. There is humor in fatigue. Tomorrow and Saturday will ideally be long bike rides. After speaking to my coach, I put off the plan for another 20 mile run this week. That might be too much, too soon. As I prepare for Kona, there is definitely a balance. I must avoid unnecessary stress and excess fatigue that is not productive. Only then, will fatigue be the real "f-word."
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