Ironman Syndrome...

[Running Mommy]

OK, so on my ride today I realized I am suffering from a nasty case of Ironman syndrome...
I really shouldn't have ridden today. I was dog tired, and getting on the bike just proved it. I had no "snap" in my cadence and I struggled on the hills. But I shouldn't have been surprised... Why you ask? Because lastnight I was also tired and struggled through a mere 4 mile run. By the end my left hammy was sore and I just felt the need to lie down...

So why not just take a day off when the body starts protesting? I'll tell you why... IRONMAN SYNDROME!!! That type A afliction that says one must ALWAYS be in Ironman training mode. Off season? what off season! If the schedule says to ride or run I will dang it! Fatigue be damned!!!

So I spent the better part of my ride reminding myself that you can't be in full on IM training mode 365 days of the year! I need to be chilling in prep for my fall base build. And god knows nothing good will come from overtraining.
Illness,injury, burnout... OY!!!

So I VOW to take the day off tomorrow!! If anyone see's me even REMOTELY athletic, give me a SMACKDOWN!!!

[Lise]

I hear you, Denise. I have been so tired this week that getting up the two flights of stairs from doing laundry costs me. I'm also working some long shifts over a week and a half. So I just decided that this week I'm "rest training". Of course not really resting--working a lot. But not running, biking, or swimming, unless I want to. Not forcing myself to get up early or go out for a run between clinic and call. Not forcing anything except work. I did volleyball tonight, because that's what I always do on Thurs. Next week it eases up, and I'll get back into the run training for the 1/2 mary. I just cannot do it anymore. Rest up.

[triflor]

I feel it too! The guilt when I eat a delicious meal and don't go for a ride. Not having run more than 10km in a month. Having a bad time last week on my sprint distance. Its a very weird feeling... because my mind is yelling to go train, but my body is saying "keep your butt on the sofa!"

My recommendation is to have no plan as your training plan for just a little bit longer. For instance, if running is tearing up your hamstring, maybe make a plan date to start running again. That way you can work at healing the injuries that Ironman gives (I know I just haven't discovered them all yet!) My training last year destroyed my left IT Band, so know that the season is done for me, I'm not going to run at all until October, just to let it heal. I feel lazy, yes. I'm bored, yes. But I know if I go swim, I'll get 15 laps and need a nap.

Remember that training is (supposed to be) the fun part. Think of other activities that would help maintain your fitness levels without knocking you out.

[Brina]

I think I have the oposite - couch potato syndrom. Each of my two tris this summer it took me like a week or 10 days to get back to training with any kind of gusto.

[Tri Girl]

I wish I had Ironman Syndrome. I have "I'm sick of Ironman" syndrome. I'm just ready for the race to be here so I can do it, kick a** (well, hopefully kick it in 16:59:59) and get the training over with so I can lay on the couch and be a bloated, lazy, vegetable. That being said, tho, I'm worried that after the event I'll feel the need to train, train, train, when I really just need to rest, rest, rest. Gotta tell ya, right now I'm soooooo looking forward to sleeping in on a Saturday, not having weekends devoted to hours and hours of training, not smelling like sweat (even when cleaned and perfumed), and not washing dri-fit every 2 days. (wow- sorry so complainy. )

I know what you mean, tho. The constant need for more training. Good for you for taking the day off. You need to listen to your body and rest when it screams at you- it'll make it happy!
Sooooooo...yes- take the day off (and the next one, too) if you need to. You're not going to lose all your fitness if you rest, so JUST DO IT.

[suzbyrd]

I did a tri in early August and got sick immediately after. Did the antibiotics, rest, etc, felt better, then got sick again. What that told me was that my body needs time to recover and my immune system was severely depressed. BTW, I was SO glad to stop swimming for a while. Give yourself a break, a chance to recover physically and mentally. And then get after it again. It's been my experience that even during training, sometimes you need to take extra rest to make sure you don't over train and to keep excited about doing the tri.

Soon I am going to post a question about how to prevent the immune suppression thing.......