So....I think I dug myself into a hole this fall. Was training for a marathon, built up too fast too soon and noted a lot of the warning signs - resting HR slightly elevated, disturbed sleep, grouchy, straining during workouts, recurrent headache, concentration issues, tired quads, race results plateauing and not quite matching training. I ignored them because I attributed many of them to bad fall allergies and others to fatigue from marathon training that would resolve with the taper. (and yes, I'm sure that they're not indications of some other health issue)
Mea culpa. And I know that there's one way to fix, and that's rest. And I know that there's no set time to rest, just rest until you're recovered. Right now, I'm limiting myself to walks, gentle yoga, and a bit of easy pool-running and swimming. Plus eating well and not setting the alarm clock, plus some massage.
My question is: how do I know when I'm recovered? My plan is to wait until my resting HR has returned to normal for several days, my sleep has been normal for a week, and the headache's been gone so long I've forgotten about it. Then I'll start back with some running and some harder swimming, ramping up carefully. Anything else that I should be monitoring? Should I wait for longer than a few days after feeling normal again? I have spring races that I'd like to do, but I'd rather miss them and be sure I've kicked this.
I am female and 40, if that affects the answer.
Mea culpa. And I know that there's one way to fix, and that's rest. And I know that there's no set time to rest, just rest until you're recovered. Right now, I'm limiting myself to walks, gentle yoga, and a bit of easy pool-running and swimming. Plus eating well and not setting the alarm clock, plus some massage.
My question is: how do I know when I'm recovered? My plan is to wait until my resting HR has returned to normal for several days, my sleep has been normal for a week, and the headache's been gone so long I've forgotten about it. Then I'll start back with some running and some harder swimming, ramping up carefully. Anything else that I should be monitoring? Should I wait for longer than a few days after feeling normal again? I have spring races that I'd like to do, but I'd rather miss them and be sure I've kicked this.
I am female and 40, if that affects the answer.