That Constant Fatigue
Many of you know that I'm training for a marathon. I don't recommend that you try to race them, but for 30+ years, running the Boston Marathon has been a dream of mine. I guess it validates me as a runner in my mind to qualify, so it's my piece of nuttiness. (And yes, I know that I can "sneak in the back way" by doing charitable fund-raising, but then I wouldn't have qualified, so I'd be un-validated.)
Training for a marathon is hard work. It leaves me fatigued much of the time, and from what I understand, this is not an unusual situation. Note that I differentiate racing from running or completing a marathon. I don't mean to make any less of those of you who choose the slower route, it's no less valid, just different. You're unlikely to go through the experience of "having the wheels fall off," as I did in my first. The experience set is just VERY different. The serious guys are training 80-120 miles/week, and a lot of the guys my age (mid-40's) are still 60+ miles/week guys, and a lot of those miles are fast (depending on level as fast as 5:00 miles on up to 8:00ish for me).
Anyway, this training tends to result in an almost constant state of fatigue. My wife knows I can doze off in an instant, if I want, and that's regardless of what I'm doing (note: I seem able to maintain discipline when driving - I will pull over if it gets overwhelming and grab a 15 minute nap). The bad thing is that this fatigue gets old fast. That, combined with the physical demands of the actual race, which can gimp you up pretty good for 3-4 days and then leave you feeling weak for another 3-4 weeks if you have to really work is why I tell most people who ask me about the marathon that they should think very seriously before they attack it.
I think that for most people, getting in shape for a half-marathon is a much more realistic goal (at least in the shorter term), and if you have several of them under your belt, only then consider going the full distance.
OK, but for those of you who are exercising for fitness or weight loss, what can you gain from this discussion? Simply that exercising hard will result in fatigue. I regularly recommend that fitness exercisers use a heart rate monitor to control their exertion level and avoid that fatigue. If you struggle with it, get one and exercise at levels below 75% of your maximum heart rate. You'll be pleased with the results.
Training for a marathon is hard work. It leaves me fatigued much of the time, and from what I understand, this is not an unusual situation. Note that I differentiate racing from running or completing a marathon. I don't mean to make any less of those of you who choose the slower route, it's no less valid, just different. You're unlikely to go through the experience of "having the wheels fall off," as I did in my first. The experience set is just VERY different. The serious guys are training 80-120 miles/week, and a lot of the guys my age (mid-40's) are still 60+ miles/week guys, and a lot of those miles are fast (depending on level as fast as 5:00 miles on up to 8:00ish for me).
Anyway, this training tends to result in an almost constant state of fatigue. My wife knows I can doze off in an instant, if I want, and that's regardless of what I'm doing (note: I seem able to maintain discipline when driving - I will pull over if it gets overwhelming and grab a 15 minute nap). The bad thing is that this fatigue gets old fast. That, combined with the physical demands of the actual race, which can gimp you up pretty good for 3-4 days and then leave you feeling weak for another 3-4 weeks if you have to really work is why I tell most people who ask me about the marathon that they should think very seriously before they attack it.
I think that for most people, getting in shape for a half-marathon is a much more realistic goal (at least in the shorter term), and if you have several of them under your belt, only then consider going the full distance.
OK, but for those of you who are exercising for fitness or weight loss, what can you gain from this discussion? Simply that exercising hard will result in fatigue. I regularly recommend that fitness exercisers use a heart rate monitor to control their exertion level and avoid that fatigue. If you struggle with it, get one and exercise at levels below 75% of your maximum heart rate. You'll be pleased with the results.
posted by Scooter at 6:28 PM
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