General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How do you fight with tiredness? Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2014-11-07 12:58 PM

User image

Veteran
308
100100100
Subject: How do you fight with tiredness?
Hi,

I'm so tired of being tired. I used to be able to train hard feeling exhausted and tired for years, but now it seems to be mentally too difficult to do.
When I got home from work about 6:30PM I'm most of the time really tired and it is tough to push and train. I have been doing it for too long.
I talk to other people. Some of them do not feel tired after work at all and have energy to work out.

Do you feel tired/exhausted? Do you still train? How do you handle it?


2014-11-07 1:05 PM
in reply to: slonce5

User image

Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?

If your training isn't changing much, then I would evaluate the other aspects of your life including work, chores, stress, other hobbies, and how much sleep you're getting.  How tired you feel is not just about how much you train.  It's about everything that goes on during the 24 hours in a day, and 7 days in a week...and so on.

Two people can be at the exact same fitness level, and do the exact same training...but if one person does 50 hours a week of manual labor, has 3 kids, and is renovating his house...he's probably going to be a lot more tired than the other guy who works a desk job, no kids, and is managing to sleep 8 hours a night.

2014-11-07 1:09 PM
in reply to: #5066013

User image

Member
560
5002525
Utah
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
I know this isn't the right answer, but it's how I deal with my crazy life and IM training, but Diet Mt Dew is my best friend. It keeps me awake and able to do what I need to do, but I'm still able to sleep at night. I still drink tons of water as well. Not the solution I should have, but it's just reality right now.
2014-11-07 2:01 PM
in reply to: KatieLimb

User image

Master
1793
1000500100100252525
Essex Jct, VT
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Sometimes changing the routine is what is necessary also. Sometimes dialing back the training is the answer, sometimes increasing load is the change that is needed. (as counter-intuitive as that sounds) Evaluating other areas of you life like: diet, sleep, work, training, and recovery may also reveal where there energy suck is. Good luck.
2014-11-07 2:06 PM
in reply to: KatieLimb

User image

Pro
6520
50001000500
Bellingham, WA
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?

I think everyone feels tired and exhausted at some point.  Training for three disciplines takes a tremendous amount of time and energy.  Depending on the number of hours you put in a week it can lead to a considerable amount of cumulative fatigue that builds gradually over time until your body and mind can no longer cope.  That is why it is important to take recovery weeks (I do a very poor job with this) and occasionally just a week or two off.

Another thing that I have realized is that much of my training load has been at too high of an intensity.  I think most people run their easy miles too hard and this leads to gradually degraded workout quality and again more cumulative fatigue.  You do not need to run fast to get the benefits from the bulk of your miles.  Relax and enjoy them and then hit the occasional quality workout hard to get the specific benefits from that type of session.

Sleep is another key component that can lead to chronic tiredness.  My sleep goes in cycles of days of poor sleep quality followed by a week or so of sound sleeping.  My energy level and ability to feel strong and upbeat about training coincide pretty close with these sleep quality periods.

2014-11-07 3:41 PM
in reply to: slonce5

User image

Expert
1111
1000100
Albuquerque, NM
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
"There's a nap for that."


2014-11-07 3:46 PM
in reply to: RockTractor


13

Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
To go along with this thread how do you all fight the urge to sleep in and put off a workout. I have been swimming with a master class at 5:30 and some mornings it is almost impossible to get up.

What do you use as motivation to make you get out of bed?
2014-11-07 3:50 PM
in reply to: RockTractor

User image

Veteran
308
100100100
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?

"There's a nap for that."

I wish I could nap. When I try to nap I cannot fall a sleep.

2014-11-07 3:56 PM
in reply to: molivi311

User image

Master
1793
1000500100100252525
Essex Jct, VT
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Originally posted by molivi311

To go along with this thread how do you all fight the urge to sleep in and put off a workout. I have been swimming with a master class at 5:30 and some mornings it is almost impossible to get up.

What do you use as motivation to make you get out of bed?


I have used different sayings in my head to motivate me at different times. Things like, "My competition is already in the pool." Now, I just get up, before I have a chance to talk myself out of it. I can't remember the last swim I missed, and I swim every morning at 5:30. The desire to improve trumps the desire to sleep an extra hour. So far that's worked for me. Good luck.
2014-11-07 4:15 PM
in reply to: slonce5

User image

Master
8247
50002000100010010025
Eugene, Oregon
Bronze member
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
I'm not a morning person but I've found it's actually much easier to do my workouts early AM before work. After work I'm often tired, plus unpredictable demands on my time can come up and cut into training time; during rainy season the weather's unstable then and it's hard to count on an outdoor workout. Yes, it's hard to get up in the dark. My tricks are two alarms that go off five minutes apart. To turn off the second, I have to get out of bed and turn the light on. That gets me up. I also get up early 5-6 days a week, so it's a habit, not only for me, but for my cats, who've learned to expect breakfast at that hour! Even if there's still food in their bowls, they start jumping around on my bed, expecting the morning feeding ritual.

I think you have to distinguish between that after-work "blah" energy low ( best tackled by a little food or caffeine, followed by just starting the workout, maybe some upbeat music if it's safe to use it) and long-term cumulaive fatigue., The latter, as others have said, has not only to do with training volume and intensity, but physical and mental stress, sleep, diet, and other factors. If it's this you're dealing with, I'd start by taking a recovery week or two, re-examining your training plan, and doing what you can to improve recovery.
2014-11-07 4:34 PM
in reply to: molivi311

User image

Pro
6520
50001000500
Bellingham, WA
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?

Originally posted by molivi311 To go along with this thread how do you all fight the urge to sleep in and put off a workout. I have been swimming with a master class at 5:30 and some mornings it is almost impossible to get up. What do you use as motivation to make you get out of bed?

Oh how I wish I could get up in the morning and get some of my sessions in early.  But alas, I do my best sleeping in the morning hours and as much as I have wanted to get up early I am not wired that way.  Maybe someday something will change but until then I ..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. as long as I can



2014-11-07 6:00 PM
in reply to: KatieLimb


504
500
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Been dealing with this recently.
My manual labor job is really getting the best of me.
My workouts have tanked in the last two months.

My current motivation is two races in May.

BUT I've been falling asleep on the couch after dinner just about every night.
2014-11-07 8:26 PM
in reply to: popsracer

User image

Extreme Veteran
875
500100100100252525
Issaquah
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Originally posted by popsracer

Originally posted by molivi311 To go along with this thread how do you all fight the urge to sleep in and put off a workout. I have been swimming with a master class at 5:30 and some mornings it is almost impossible to get up. What do you use as motivation to make you get out of bed?

Oh how I wish I could get up in the morning and get some of my sessions in early.  But alas, I do my best sleeping in the morning hours and as much as I have wanted to get up early I am not wired that way.  Maybe someday something will change but until then I ..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. as long as I can




I think to a large degree this is person dependent. Sure some people can motivate themselves to get up early, but I'd bet the majority that do this regularly it's just part of who they are. I get up 5x a week at 4AM to get my workouts in. During IM training I'll get 4-5hrs of cycling in before the kids are up for school. But for me, after work workouts are nearly impossible. I'd rather eat dinner and relax and it's hard to motivate myself to do anything after ~6PM.
2014-11-07 9:52 PM
in reply to: cnsegura

Member
1487
1000100100100100252525
Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Originally posted by cnsegura

Originally posted by popsracer

Originally posted by molivi311 To go along with this thread how do you all fight the urge to sleep in and put off a workout. I have been swimming with a master class at 5:30 and some mornings it is almost impossible to get up. What do you use as motivation to make you get out of bed?

Oh how I wish I could get up in the morning and get some of my sessions in early.  But alas, I do my best sleeping in the morning hours and as much as I have wanted to get up early I am not wired that way.  Maybe someday something will change but until then I ..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. as long as I can




I think to a large degree this is person dependent. Sure some people can motivate themselves to get up early, but I'd bet the majority that do this regularly it's just part of who they are. I get up 5x a week at 4AM to get my workouts in. During IM training I'll get 4-5hrs of cycling in before the kids are up for school. But for me, after work workouts are nearly impossible. I'd rather eat dinner and relax and it's hard to motivate myself to do anything after ~6PM.


I've always been a morning person - worked at a corporate wellness center for years - 5am -2pm shift! Now I teach 5:15am spin classes and prefer them over any other time. I shut down pretty much around 2pm and trying to do anything active after that time is brutal! Plus I'm busy with the kids after school activities etc, so would never get any training done if I waited. So every weekday I get up at 4am to get my training done by 6:30/7am - then get the kids ready for school and get them there on time. After I drop them off, it's time for my 2nd workout of the day - usually a swim/strength training or yoga. Then housework, errands,preparing for my cycle classes etc...

Some days I'm more tired than others, but I can usually trace it back to my diet since my sleep is pretty consistent. Certain foods make me so sleepy, but if I avoid them I'm good for most of the afternoon. That's just me. I also make sure I have at LEAST 2 days where I get at least 9 hours of sleep. Right now that is Saturday and Sunday and it makes a HUGE difference in my energy levels!

If you are excessively tired, and not knowing really why other than lack of sleep, maybe speak to your doc - get some blood work done and look at your diet. Lots of things can contribute to it! Good luck!
2014-11-08 7:12 AM
in reply to: #5066017

User image

New user
140
10025
Sanford, Florida
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Simple.

Take a week off and see whether that helps.
2014-11-08 6:23 PM
in reply to: slonce5

User image

Master
2855
20005001001001002525
Kailua, Hawaii
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
I can understand this problem.

Frankly if I had a regular job 5 days a week, especially when I was an engineer, I'd most likely not be doing triathlons to the extent I am.

I do work a regular job 2 days a week, and the rest is home business based. So I make my hours, and can sleep here and there to ward off the tired feeling. I still get tired but sack out for an hour and feel a lot better. Strangely I feel the most tired after those 2 days of a regular job...I come home and go to sleep for an hour or two.

Sometimes the training does wear me down and I constantly feel fatigued. I try to get to sleep earlier and get more of it. I also try to eat better and at better time intervals. Although my home business can force me to work late nights, which interferes with the following day's training.

I've also cut down on the number of races I do, which I think was contributing towards the feeling of fatigue. Perhaps also my level of training has diminished so I'm not as deeply tired.

Anyway the result has been good. I've felt better and can do pretty much what I want in terms of triathlon goals and get my work done (most of the time).


2014-11-09 12:46 AM
in reply to: #5066127

User image

Member
256
1001002525
Iowa City, Iowa
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
My wife is always the first one up for the day and for some reason I sleep better knowing I don't have to get up that early hehe I can't tell you how many times I've said I'll get up in the morning to train but it rarely happens. However, I do eventually commit time int he day even if it's pre or post dinner to get the job done. In fact I ended up doing a night run at 5:30 pm (Iowa) after I got home from work. I've gotten better about working out after working s full day but I can certainly agree it can be difficult to motivate myself sometimes and I wish it were easier for me to get up with the early birds!
2014-11-09 5:59 AM
in reply to: 0


11

Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Did you take a blood test recently? It might be just that you're low on Iron in your blood.

Edited by pnobels 2014-11-09 6:00 AM
2014-11-09 7:42 AM
in reply to: slonce5


467
1001001001002525
, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?
Do you have any rest days in your schedule? Many of us do better with 1 or 2 days off every 5-10 days. We're all different, but lately much of what I've been reading about training stresses adequate rest and specific days off. One author mentioned 2-3 days off about once a month. Just something to think about. I rarely take a day off, but I probably should . . .
2014-11-09 3:27 PM
in reply to: MikeD1

User image


489
100100100100252525
Subject: RE: How do you fight with tiredness?

Are you getting the right energy at the right time from your diet?

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How do you fight with tiredness? Rss Feed  
RELATED POSTS

Done and done

Started by skinnyterror
Views: 2095 Posts: 13

2013-07-11 4:55 PM TTom

Anyone doing/done the Santa Rosa Island Tri or Destin Crab Trap Tri

Started by pilotzs
Views: 1646 Posts: 5

2013-05-28 5:00 PM tacetman

The fight for real food...

Started by hinne
Views: 941 Posts: 3

2006-09-16 6:46 PM TROGDOR

chronic tiredness

Started by gathius
Views: 1073 Posts: 21

2006-08-24 4:09 PM jtopin

Fighting Cancer

Started by sue7013
Views: 1075 Posts: 8

2006-08-12 5:26 PM sappho96
RELATED ARTICLES
date : April 28, 2011
author : fivecents
comments : 5
What my first sprint distance triathlon taught me about myself.
 
date : October 8, 2009
comments : 3
I knew I needed to make a commitment to a lifestyle change. Encouraged by other weight-loss surgery runners, triathletes and even Ironmen, I set goals to become an active triathlete.
date : August 17, 2007
author : scoli121
comments : 6
I quickly browsed an article in Men's Health that talked about doing a triathlon, and how it wasn't really that hard. With a "tsk!" I quickly turned the page while thinking, "Yeah, right!"
 
date : June 11, 2007
author : IRONVIKING
comments : 2
We all have our reasons for what we do and why we train. I liken my fight against heart disease to Gandalf, and his memorable “You shall not pass” scene.