Crud. I think I've entered the Overtraining Zone

IF it is truly over training rather than over reaching; the recovery process may take quite a while.

I suspect (From seeing your daily workout posts) that it is probably NOT an issue of over training but you would know better than I would. Some rest would be great with a focus on nutrition and treating any aches and pains you may be experiencing. As a matter of course, I usually schedule periods like this in my training even without symptoms. (Doing one next week in fact)

Here is an article on the progression:

http://phe800.blogspot.com/2014/05/when-you-dig-yourself-into-hole-part-i.html

The runner who writes this blog is very entertaining. (She is a friend of one of the runners in my group) Here is another more technical article on the topic of overtraining/overreaching that might also prove helpful:

http://running.competitor.com/2013/09/training/what-is-overtraining_32897

I sure hope it's over reaching and that I have caught it in time.  Thanks for the articles!  I'll be reading them in my hammock! 

I have not followed any kind of periodization with recovery weeks and I think that may be the culprit.

A quick thought: has the heat and humidity in your area risen significantly in the time period (last 4 weeks) you've been having trouble? I know for me this is a big factor for my elevated heart rate and my effort level has to increase, always at a rate more than I expect.

This is a great question.  Humidity does drive increased HR due to the reduced effectiveness of sweating driving up body temp, body compensates by working harder to cool.  Increased HR.

I notice it all the time on humid days, pace and HR don't seem to be in line.

that said, rest days are training days and should be used to full advantage.

That's a great question!  However, I live in the desert and while it does get hot, our humidity is pretty low--20% give or take.  I run early in the morning before it gets too hot.  

I agree, much less likely overtraining, and more likely closer to something like overreaching. 

I typically get similar symptoms of higher HRs for slower paces, sensations of fatigue, and other not-good feelings when I'm hitting peak volume in my training cycle. Even my sleep gets a bit funky and somewhat irregular, and I get a bit grumpy. Joe Friel warns about this in his Training Bible when you're hitting peak training volume so you don't get freaked out. That's part of the beat-down before you get stronger cycle. 

True overtraining usually requires big-time sustained jumps in training that for AGers, are usually quite obvious due to the very high volume and often on a plan that you're sticking to like glue even though is clearly overreaching. Whereas training fatigue cycles are very common and transient.

What you describe is about where I'm at.  I just couldn't figure out why my heart rate gets so high but even a slowed pace felt so much more labored.  My run this morning was awful. 

So, what did you do to get back to stronger cycles of training?

Pullback week.

If you're not feeling significantly better after 14 days, then start looking for a medical problem or real overtraining.