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Laura H.
Laura H. Sendmail

Marathoners- Should I be tired most of the time?

posted 3 months ago | Report

I am training for my first full marathon after running 4 halfs, decided to take on the real deal.

I have been really good with my training and now that I am 5 weeks out from my race, I feel like I am tired and kinda grumpy all of the time. Is this normal?

I am following a Galloway training program, which I also did for my halfs.

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15 posts

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  • Morey B.
    Morey B. Sendmail

    yup. sounds perfect. you've increased your training load and it's taking its toll. Normally, training plans ratchet up for 3 weeks, and then drop down a bit for a week to let your body catch up.

    But- you're not running the marathon right now. you'll be running it in 5 weeks, after a 3 week taper. Now- it is possible that you are a bit overtrained. If you're feeling really sluggish, take an unscheduled day off- or back off the pace somewhat. You've gotta' feel your way through this a bit.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Laurie S.
    Laurie S. Sendmail

    Make sure you don't spend too much of your time running at or faster than your predicted marathon race pace. When I trained for my first marathon, while I was definitely tired from the long runs and increase in distance, I actually felt like most of the time I was running a lot slower than I wanted to. While it could be frustrating at times, it's really a good thing because that's what allows your body to get through the long runs and all the mileage.

    posted 3 months ago

  • April M.
    April M. Sendmail

    Yep. I always do the insomnia routine when training for a marathon. I just keep on it, do the best you can and maybe just take an unscheduled day off for some rest. Becareful cause your most prone to injuries when fatigued.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Paul R.
    Paul R. Sendmail

    also keep an eye on your diet and electrolytes. you are burning up alot of calories and throwing off alot of electrolytes. letting your essential nutrients get too depleted can lead to illness. Like Morey B. said, it's natural and you will start getting your energy back as you begin your taper. Good Luck.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Laura H.
    Laura H. Sendmail

    Thank you for your thoughts! I needed that reassurance. I am running my shorter training runs much faster than my expected marathon pace so I need to slow down and eat more.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Edward P.
    Edward P. Sendmail

    Five weeks out you're probably right in the middle of your last big chunk of training. As you begin to taper your energy should come back and it will probably seem like you're hardly running anymore. Galloway has good plans so just stick with it and you should be feeling great by race day :)

    posted 3 months ago

  • Doug L.
    Doug L. Sendmail

    I agree with everything everyone else says (although I have only run one full and that was a year ago).

    Make sure you are eating enough too. Don't go crazy, but remember you are burning roughly 100 calories per mile. That means 1,500 to 2,000 on your long runs. You might replace a few hundred of those with sports drinks and gels (or your preferred calorie source), but you still have to make an effort to make up for those calories. I love breakfast food so I started having things like pancakes and eggs instead of a bowl of cereal. The morning calories seem to help me get through my day (especially after morning runs).

    posted 3 months ago

  • Tom D.
    Tom D. Sendmail

    Yes, indeed. I've run 8 (so far) and the only one that I wasn't tired at your stage was one where I under-trained and did very poorly in the race. I agree with the comment about eating right. That made the biggest difference for me. Proper nutrition (aka enough calories from the right foods) was the key to enough energy. And you will be surprised how energized you are after the taper... you'll be down right antsy after all the intense training you're doing right now.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Daniel O.
    Daniel O. Sendmail

    It's okay to run a short run or two per week at much faster than MP. Many plans have runs of up to 7 miles (or an hour) at a pace about a minute faster than goal pace. These tempo runs are good for you as long as they don't keep you from your other training.

    Just be sure to run the others days at an easy pace unless your plan calls for faster runs. Check out an online calculator like the one at McMillan Running if you're unsure of the correct paces.

    (Also, yeah you should be pretty tired most of the time. That's normal.)

    posted 3 months ago | edited 3 months ago

  • Gator Mike
    Gator Mike Sendmail

    I'll just throw it out there that you need to watch your sleep too. It's tough to get enough sleep when you are also spending so much time out on the road. Remember 8 hours is optimal when you aren't training. More is better when you are training. Make it a priority. I try to schedule 9 when I'm training (but life does tend to get in the way).

    posted 3 months ago

  • Kari E.
    Kari E. Sendmail

    I am in agreement with everyone here! I am training for my 2nd marathon and just hit the point where I thought to myself "oh yeah, I remember being tired all the time last time too." It's good to see that I'm not alone! Good luck on your race!

    posted 3 months ago

  • Paul
    Paul Sendmail

    Hey Laura,

    Deffinately concentrate on getting enough sleep. Making sure your eating helathy and that your getting enough calories.

    Finally its also pretty normal to get a bit antsy

    Just be carefull that you really are taking your rest and recovery runs / days at an easy enough pace to actually recover.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Allison H.
    Allison H. Sendmail

    Hi Laura, I ran my first full in October and I went though the same thing (not to mention uncontrollable eating). Best of luck with your first full; it is an absolutely amazing experience!

    posted 3 months ago

  • JaysonPRO
    Jayson Sendmail

    I am two weeks away from the end of my training cycle and my marathon. I am exausted most of the time! I find I require at least 8 or 9 hous of sleep when I am training. It's tough to get it in, sometimes I need to go to bed at 8pm.

    posted 3 months ago

  • Laura H.
    Laura H. Sendmail

    I am not sleeping well and I am not sure what to do about it. I am limiting caffeine to my morning coffee, though I have cheated a little on that a few times and I try to get to bed at a good time. I guess I need to work on that, I am sure that it isn't helping.

    posted 3 months ago

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