Ah, runner’s burnout– the timeless dilemma. Whether you’re a regular marathoner or just getting your running legs into shape, burnout is bound to hit from time to time. While it’s avoidability is a completely different beast, we do have some choice in how we deal with this fitness roadblock. There are several ways to get over the hump, but whatever you do, keep going. Your body will thank you. Now, here’s 5 ways you can defeat burnout, get on the trail, and give your body what it needs.
1) Train to Be Mentally Tough
Often times, the lethargy we feel isn’t because of physical pain or fatigue. Instead, it has it’s roots in a lack of mental toughness. Your legs could be ready to go and your muscles could be limber, but if you’re mind isn’t in good shape you aren’t going anywhere. While mental training has benefits reaching from the classroom to the boardroom, it is a useful undertaking for athletes as well. If you think this may be preventing you from reaching maximum potential on your runs, check out these exercises from Art of Manliness and Men’s Fitness that will jump start the brain. True, they don’t have any inherent connection with raising your heart rate, but they will infuse your brain with the vigor needed to hit the ground running (literally).
2) Go Outside
This mainly applies to treadmill runners. While the treadmill belt can be more forgiving on your joints, and though statistics show the VO2 Max while running indoors is the same as running outside, treadmill burnout can be swift and unforgiving. Just think about it– you’ve been running in place for several miles, in the same building, breathing in the same gym air. Maybe you’ve loaded up your phone with music, but it definitely doesn’t mitigate the sheer boredom that comes with staring at yourself in the mirror.
Maybe your body needs a real challenge. When you run outside, you’re strengthening muscles that may have been a bit too relaxed on the treadmill. You’re also encountering wind resistance, and are forced into experimenting with your pace. Oh, and then there’s the always present possibility of a nice breeze of fresh air. Take that, gym!
3) Recover
Sure it’s counterintuitive, but maybe you’ve run too much. If you’re a high mileage runner, maybe you need to cut back on your total energy expenditure. About.com’s running expert Christine Luff suggests that high intensity runner’s need an “off-week”. No, this isn’t 7 days of inactivity, but a period of time during which you just put less stress on your body than you normally do. She suggests winding down to the point that you’re running half your routine mileage every fourth week. Then, take two quality rest days during this time. Really.
4) Mix it Up by Cross Training
Now this is actually really fun. The most basic definition of cross-training is participating in two or more physical activities in order to increase overall fitness. For runners, this may mean hitting the pool for a few laps, the exercise bike (or a nice biking trail!), or weight training to increase core stability. The variety that comes with cross-training will leave you feeling more refreshed on your runs, and more efficient too! World Runners has a great post on the benefits of cross training, and I highly advise you check it out.
5) Know Yourself
It’s easy to want to go as hard as you can each time you lace up your running shoes. But going all-out like that could be doing you more harm than good. As a regular runner, your sessions should leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on the next goal. There’s no point to going after your runner’s high if you are finishing every run completely exhausted. Reaching your breaking point regularly not only takes the fun out of running, but is definitely not good for your body. Eating and sleeping properly helps too– it’s the fuel your body needs to reach a comfortable limit in the first place.
from Jason Andor’s Fitness Blog http://ift.tt/1gubbxd
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