When Exercising Makes You Feel Tired
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
November 7, 2009 11:08pm CST
Have you ever noticed when you exercise a lot, sometimes you'll just feel extremely tired? I notice that in training for a race or something, I'll often feel really tired with the training. So before the race I usually back off for a week so that I'll have the energy to actually do the race.
Now, after running that last 5K I just feel so tired. But I keep pushing myself to go out there to stay on schedule for the half marathon training. I did a slow 5.2 miles this morning and my ankles are not happy with me. But they were fine during the run. And then I had done the speedwork earlier this week, but at a pace so slow you could hardly call it speedwork.
Being so tired and having so much ankle pain again really is making me rethink my crazy goals. I was thinking in December I would do a sprint triathlon (shorter than normal distance by far, but not a short event entirely to me). Now I'm kind of thinking that would be fitting in too much. I was thinking that in March I'd do a full marathon, and now I'm freaking out about that and thinking that maybe that would be too much. And I was even crazy enough to consider possibly doing a century bike ride around May or June. I realize doing about one race a month or less is actually not a lot by many people's standards, but I'm just starting to get a bit worried. I guess it might just be my ankles talking. But I don't want to kill them.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
8 Nov 09
First,stop giving yourself a hard time.You ran after recovering from a cold .It was hard, I know that.Second, try for the March marathon, not the triathlon in December.But in the meantime, check and see if it is your diet. There could be a natural food or vitamin that you can add that will give you more energy.Are you a vegetarian?If so,maybe there is another form of protein you may need to add.Don't give up!
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
8 Nov 09
The B vitamins would give me more energy if I was lacking in them, but unfortunately they don't do everything if you already get enough. But I'll try eating more fortified cereals and see if that helps.
I am a vegetarian, but I get plenty of protein. Probably too much on most days.
I'll definitely shoot for the marathon over the triathlon. There are always other triathlons but this is a very cool looking marathon. I just don't want to be running on ankles that are killing me for like 20 miles or something (the first few miles they definitely wouldn't hurt). But I also realize that if I would just run it a lot slower, I'd have a better chance at finishing.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Thanks! I'm thinking that a day of extreme foot pain had me feeling down. Because now after seeing the newly announced route of the marathon I am totally excited again. I'll probably wait to sign up until after the 10K just to be safe and make sure my body is cooperating. But I'm thinking I'll do this.
Plus one girl in our group runs these and she is way slower than me, yet she always manages to at least finish. So I'm thinking I should make it. I hope.
Oh, and I found out one of my friends lives right along the route! How cool is that? Maybe she'll let me take a nap after at her place, lol.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
9 Nov 09
So you have to be the turtle not the Hare? Okay Steedy as she goes! I can't help thinking there Has to be a runner's cookbook or runner's diet for energy out there. I'll check my library and get back to you.
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
8 Nov 09
I feel tired and sleepy sometimes after I work out but I think your case is just exhaustion. You may be training more than your body can handle. I think you may also want to seek help from a nutritionist to adjust your diet according to your work out. It could be that you're not getting the proper nutrition and you're burning more calories than you are actually consuming.
About the ankle pain, I suggest you go see a doctor if you want to make that marathon. If you've been training for a while then it could be some muscle or ligament related problem that isn't directly on your ankle. It could be your other muscle groups connected. I'm not trying to scare you but it's better to know for sure rather than to guess.
If in case there is something to be treated, at least you get treatment before it gets any worse.
I hope that helps.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
8 Nov 09
I will actually be seeing a doctor before I run the half marathon just to make sure I'm in good shape to go for that. I haven't had a physical since I was a little kid, so I figure now is probably a good time to go for one. If my ankle still hurts by then I'll definitely ask them about it.
So far it really seems to be the outer area of the ankle, but for awhile the inner also hurt. I've been using ankle supports and until the race, they really made things a lot better. Maybe I slightly reinjured it during the race or something by running too fast. I won't be trying for as fast of a time on the 10K coming up later this month. I just want to finish it mostly.
I don't burn more than 500 calories a day generally from exercise, and I'm eating over 2,000. I've actually been more careful about my nutrition since I started exercising. Before I did my best to eat healthy and definitely had a better diet than most people, but that's not good enough anymore. I have added a lot of weight since starting to exercise though, and I think that might contribute a bit to the pain because my ankles are not used to me weighing so much.
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
8 Nov 09
I'm surprised you haven't had a physical in a while. You're right. You should.
I think your body is adjusting to your new routine and the added weight. I can only guess but it does seem like a logical explanation though.
I do hope your doctor visit would shed some light on why you're feeling pain. I had a cousin who trained heavy and did competed in taekwondo. She had pain on the ball of her foot and ignored it for a bit. When she went for an exam, she found out there was something wrong with her bone.
I hope you feel better soon. It's nice that you love competitive sports. I hope you stay healthy.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
8 Nov 09
Thanks. I'm not exactly heavy, just gained a lot lately. Still in the average range though.
Without insurance getting a physical was always very expensive. I recently got health insurance, but it's such a hassle to use it that I've still barely gone to the doctor for anything.
@GardenGerty (157665)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Our company has a personal trainer who comes and works with our clients. When we discussed routines and stuff, she said exercise can lead to adrenal exhaustion if you do too much too many days in a row. I think everyone I know is tired right now, though, with or without exercise.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Yeah, I definitely try to take rest days. Usually 2 rest days each week, sometimes 3. If I'm training for something big I only get 1 rest day, but then I end up doing easy stuff on some days too. Like sometimes I'll count the Wii fit as exercise. I don't tend to run two days in a row. I'll usually do running, then cycling, and then either a rest day or more running. Sometimes I'll do cycling two days in a row, but my body tends to be more built up to that since I used to do so much. Running takes more out of me, but I definitely feel like I'm getting more of a workout.
@TickleMeBreathless (590)
• United States
10 Nov 09
My mom says you're supposed to feel energized after a workout, but frankly I always just feel like taking a nap. I don't know why it's supposed to energize you though. But I always sit down and rest, then I usually do a couple chores. Once and a while I actually do fall asleep from being so tired afterwords! But I'm hoping if I keep the exercise up it will start to energize me, instead of making me feel so drained.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
10 Nov 09
For me it depends on the time of the day too. If I go running in the morning before work, I do feel like I have energy for the workday. But then I get home and I want to eat and then go to bed. If I exercise in the evening, I usually want to go to bed earlier than I normally would. Which isn't entirely a bad thing, I guess I need some sleep.
@Darryl312 (29)
• United States
29 Jan 10
You're probably suffering from overtraining. Hopefully you've recovered by now.
@Darryl312 (29)
• United States
29 Jan 10
You might want to look up biofeedback training, rather than a periodization routine. Andy Potts is a triathlete who has used it for only 5 years and went from being an overweight man to an olympic hopeful.
Although they use fancy equipment, you can easily use your body as the "measuring tool."
Biofeedback training is simply using your body as the guide, rather than plans of paper. Using this style of training with myself and my clients, things I wanted them to do either as an exercise, variations of an exercise, sets, reps, or time it didn't work out the way I planned it do.
