After a week off to recuperate I started this week's training fine: a quick 4 miler.
But after that I really didn't feel right all week until today. I've been feeling nauseous, had a break out of mouth ulcers, a temperature, dehydrated despite drinking like a fish and very poor sleeping patterns.
At first I thought I was seeing overtraining symptoms.
So although it was the last thing I wanted to do and after a night of just 3 or 4 hours sleep I went out Wednesday for a 20 mile run/walk: doing this feeling none too clever would be useful mental stamina training, I figured, considering that I'll experience this at some point on the MdS anyway.
I started off with 8 minute run/2 minute walk and reduced the run proportion as time went on as my plan was to do the same route in reverse the next day, Thursday. I was also carrying 8.5kg in the rucksack which oddly felt more of a struggle than previous rucksack runs with heavier weights.
I finished feeling pretty grim and not only because of my symptoms. This is my third week in yet another new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus trainers and I've persisted with two pairs of socks along with my orthotics. This hasn't felt entirely comfortable of late and for the last 2 hours of today's effort my feet were in some pain and felt a little crushed.
Wednesday night saw more poor sleep and the next day I did the same 20 mile route in reverse but this time with a lighter rucksack (6.6kg). I loosened off my trainers, went with just one pair of socks and tried to take it easy. But I finished feeling whacked, freezing cold despite 3 layers and with chaffing on my lower back where the layers under my rucksack have rubbed with sweat that can't evaporate anywhere in the freezing cold air.
Today I felt hugely better and went out for a quick 6 miler, finishing the last half mile at 8 minute mile pace up a hill: the energy has returned!
I've only just downloaded and checked this week's data from my Garmin Forerunner 310XT (a fantastic heart rate monitoring and GPS watch).
What it tells me is that my heart rate for Wednesday's 20 miler was way too high for the perceived low effort I experienced, despite the run/walk strategy I used with only 1300 foot of ascent. Okay, I was carrying a heavy-ish load of 8.5kg but the data shows my heart rate maxed out at 177 beats per minute (bpm), and my average was slightly high at 145 bpm.
But the next day's 20 miler saw a max of 157 bpm and a much better average 129 bpm, both significantly lower than the previous day's effort.
And the difference in total time between Wednesday's and Thursday's 20 milers?
Just 3 minutes.
So rather than seeing overtraining signs (thankfully, as that would be the last thing I need!) I've clearly been fighting some infection which was at its worst on Wednesday.
Hopefully I can get fully recovered before next week's long run.
