Can Competitive Distance Running be Part of a Healthy Lifestyle?
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I’ve been a distance runner for 12 great years, transitioning from high school to college and now I’m training myself. I started running about 20 miles per week and have gradually built up my endurance capacity to handle 90 miles during my peak training blocks.
It’s tough work if you want to be fast. As my old coach used to tell me, “You can’t burn the candle at both ends.” You have to make a lot of sacrifices in order to fit that mileage into your already busy schedule. Happy hour on Thursday nights with your friends? Keep dreaming. Reaching your full potential takes absolute focus and you have to stay aligned with your goals.
The Effects of High-Volume Running
In the pursuit of fast race times, distance runners have to sacrifice other important elements of fitness. Flexibility, explosiveness, upper body strength, and energy levels will suffer when you’re training at a high level. While you may be able to work on these areas of fitness while putting in the high miles, you’ll never be as flexible or strong in the gym if you weren’t.
The loss of overall fitness for the pursuit of specialization is because distance running fitness is one-dimensional. Running involves movement in only one plane of motion. There are no other types of movement (unless you’re a hurdler or steeplechaser, in which case you’re slightly more athletic) which make most runners not very athletic.
High-volume training is incredibly stressful
The mega mileage, the long tempo workouts, and the intense intervals consistently wear down your body. Most health professionals would agree that distance runners training at a high-level would be best served by lowering their mileage and intensity and incorporating different types of exercise into their program.
My doctor even told me once that I should stop running so much and gain 5-10 pounds. I pretended to consider it. If I ran a third of the mileage I do now but did more strength training, a yoga session every week, and a game of pick-up basketball, my overall health would be much better.
But I’d be slower. My singular goal right now is to run faster than I ever have. I’m not interested in comprehensive health. I want one-dimensional, specialized fitness. If you’re like me and want to race fast, it’s a sacrifice you have to make. To limit the unhealthy side-effects of high-volume running, you have to be careful to avoid over-training.
Know the Warning Signs of Over-Training
Balancing the stresses of this kind of training program is vital if you want to improve and reach your potential. If you do burn the candle at both ends or take on more volume or intensity than you can handle, you could be over-training or risking an injury.
Over-training is when the body has worked so hard that it’s unable to recover, even after a normal period of resting time. It often requires a week or more of little to no activity to allow the body to “get back to neutral” and properly rest.
If you think you’ve been pushing the envelope too far and are over-trained, the first thing to check is your workout and race times. Have they significantly decreased? Does your normal 5k pace now feel like a dead sprint? If race and workout times are declining and your effort level seems to be increasing, you probably need some down time.
Another good indicator that you have taken on too much is your heart rate. When I was in college, a friend of mine ran himself into the ground – 100 mile weeks (when he wasn’t ready for it) and racing every workout. After about three weeks of this type of training, his heart rate would be nearly 170 during normal distance runs. He needed rest.
Aside from these warning signs, overall feelings of fatigue, random injuries, and even not being able to sleep are common among those who are over-trained. Be especially careful in the summer and know how to beat the heat when it’s hot outside. Your body will be working harder when the heat and humidity are higher.
Prevention and Training Balance
Even if you never get over-trained, running a high-volume program is not the most holistic way to get healthy. If you decide to stick with an intense running plan to satisfy the competitor inside yourself, remember these five rules. They will help you stay healthy, avoid fatigue and burn-out, and reach your goals.
- Sleep is crucial to recovery
Get as much as you need and don’t skimp; your body needs to repair the damage you’re doing on a daily basis. If you can, take naps. Elite US marathoner Ryan Hall calls his naps “business meetings” because they are part of his job. - Diet matters
The old saying, “if the furnace is hot enough, it will burn anything” is not true! Fuel your body properly to stay energized, promote recovery, and keep your weight where it should be. A modified paleo diet is probably best – try The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain. - Don’t be afraid to rest
Recovery runs are meant to be slow. If you feel flat or fatigued, run a few miles less. take a day off once in awhile. Don’t fret. - Plan extended periods of no running
Several times a year, take 1-3 weeks off from running and enjoy other activities. You can hike, bike, swim, or just take it easy. Allow your body (and mind) to recover from the stress of high-end training. - Do the little things
To keep yourself healthy, the small things count. Dynamic warm-ups and core routines help you avoid injury. Ice baths reduce inflammation from hard workouts. Massage or a foam roller help work out the kinks in your tired muscles.
It’s often a balancing act to train diligently and remain healthy. Over-training can sometimes happen without the normal warning signs if you’re not careful. It’s up to you to take care of your body and put your health high on your priority list.
While it’s not the most vibrant form of a healthy lifestyle, a competitive distance running program is a rewarding form of training and will help bring you closer to your running goals.
How do you stay healthy while running high mileage? Let us know in the comments!
Are there “non-professional” runners out there who make running their life? Overtraining and balance are very important to know and understand; however, if I talked with my wife about getting into a really competitive training program, it would have to be with significant goals in mind. I wold like to break the three hour mark at Boston in 2011, but I don’t think I’m ready to get to make 90 mile weeks a regular park of my training routine.
I’m definitely not ready to start tracking my caloric intake, but will always choose the healthiest foods and continue to trim unnecessary sodium. I suppose it’s all in a runner’s goal and willingness to endure the added stress of higher mileage training. I’m not there right now, but perhaps some day in the future.
Hi Ross,
There are certainly a LOT of runners out there who are not professional, but they run 90+ miles per week and continue training at a very high level after college. I’m one of them. I have a friend who is 6 minutes off the marathon US Trials qualifier; he routinely trians 120+ miles per week in hope of qualifying next year.
It’s certainly about balance and finding that fine line when you want to push the envelope is important. Thanks for your thoughts!
- Jason Fitzgerald.
Great post Jason. I am a competitive runner (like Ross, I am shooting to break 3:00 at Boston next year), but my mileage peaks at around 60 per week. I have dreams of going longer, but that would start to further deteriorate the one unhealthy habit I do have – not getting enough sleep. I generally get 5-6 per night; 7 is a once-a-week event. Just as you propose taking time off to let your body recuperate, I think I need to do more of that (likely after my fall marathon at Akron) to catch up on some sleep. As I potentially take on an even more hectic job with global customers (across nearly all time zones), the challenge will increase. It will take more flexibility (time-wise I mean, not through stretching) to continue to make everything work – without sacrificing even more sleep.
Hey Greg,
It’s a tough job to balance a demanding career with running your best. Sleep is one thing that I don’t compromise (only very rarely); I don’t know how you do it! You may be able to reach your sub 3 goals by focusing on quality – like your long run, a long tempo, etc. Good luck!
This is a great post about the dedication and sacrifices it takes to be a competitive distance runner. The only thing I’m not convinced on is that you would be healthier if you ran less and lifted more weights, did yoga and played in pick up bball games. Maybe stronger from the weights or more flexible from the yoga but I don’t think that makes your overall health any better. Great article.
Hey Dan – that was just an example, and you may be right. I know when I’m in heavy training I’m walking that fine line between pushing myself and getting injured. I would be more well-rounded if I participated in other forms of exercise, but that’s the sacrifice I make for trying to be the best I can be. Thanks for the comment!
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You know, beyond injury, there have been studies suggesting that marathon training actually INCREASES your long-term risk of heart attack, relative to running more reasonable distances. I don’t know how valid the studies are, but it is a development to watch. I, for one, will continue to take the risk. http://www.active.com/running/Articles/New_study_cites_link_between_marathon_running_and_some_heart-attack_factors.htm
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As a competitive (but not that competitive) runner for 25 years (currently low 20:00 for 5-K in 50-54 age group here are some principles I follow.
1) Have fun. If it is not fun, I have to re-evaluate why I am doing it.
2) I create training schedules for myself, but at the same time I am flexible. If I feel an injury coming on or I am tired, I will re-evaluate my schedule (either reduce the distance in a long run I planned to run several weeks ago or avoid a speed workout I planned to run several weeks ago). I will look at a training schedule as a guide, not a bible.
3) I will make serious attempts to occasionally concentrate on activities other then running. If you focus on one thing all the time, you will eventually get ‘burned out’. These other thing could be reading (other then runners world, running times.,,,), bowling or other alternate sport, movies (other then Chariots of Fire,…), or television programs.
4) I will race but not over-race (one race/month). If I race too often, I am more prone to injury, if I don’t race enough, I’ll get stale.
5) I will keep my mileage at a modest level (20 – 40 miles/week). If I go over that, I am prone to injury.
6) I will participate in marathons (but not race them). I do the Ing Miami-Marathon every year to support that race. The longer the race, the longer it takes to recover from it.
7) I will not fear rest. If my race times are not up to par (my par), that is probably the first signs of overtraining (prior to illness or injury) so I will back off.
9) Each race will have a purpose. I look at several races as tune up races. Run a few 5-K’s at 10-K pace to prepare for a 10-k. Run a few 13.1′s at 26.2 pace to prepare for a 26.2. In other words. Run several tune up races leading up to a goal race.
10) Finally, If I have trouble remembering principals 2 – 9, I will refer to principal #1.