Are You Overtraining?

When I look back on my childhood, I realise how lucky I was. With parents who drove me everywhere (even if it was just down the road sometimes!), I was neck-deep in every sport imaginable – GAA, football, you name it. Except swimming, and trust me, as I now contemplate learning to swim as an adult for a triathlon, I'm seriously envious of anyone who grew up near a pool!

My dad had a phrase for pushing too hard: "burning the candle at both ends." To be honest, back then, I didn't get it. A GAA match on Saturday, football on Sunday, plus endless games on the green? No problem! We probably don't give the youthful body enough credit for its incredible ability to recover. That feeling of being unbreakable continued even as I chased the dream of professional football, training multiple times a week. The challenge was getting to training, never the volume itself.

But things changed. After stepping away from football at 22 and, let's just say, embracing a less athletic lifestyle for a bit (hello, food and alcohol!), I got a rude awakening when I tried to train again. That’s when "overtraining" became very real. Going from "athlete" to, well, "slob," and then trying to hit it hard twice a day? My body screamed "No!" Niggles, injuries, fatigue, and a generally grouchy demeanor became my new teammates. This pattern of pushing to the max, especially during my time in the Defence Forces where the ethos is to test your limits, solidified a mindset: recovery was for the weak, and any day off meant losing fitness. That "candle" dad mentioned? It was a full-blown inferno.

The beauty of hosting the Any Given Runday podcast is the front-row seat to incredible advice. Yet, even after so many episodes, I still find myself wincing when experts list things you shouldn't do, and I've probably ticked half those boxes that very day! This isn't just my story; it's for anyone who's ever felt that relentless push, only to hit a wall.

So, let’s get into what I’ve learned, with some fantastic insights from Dr. Aisling Farrell, a doctor with a Master's in Sports and Exercise Medicine who specialises in lifestyle medicine for athletes.

1. The Fine Line: From Peak Performance to Overtraining's Shadow

It's easy to feel invincible when you're fit, but there's a fine line between optimal training and overdoing it. Overtraining isn't just about one hard session; it's the cumulative effect of pushing your body relentlessly "without giving them enough time, you know, to repair and restore and recover effectively". As Dr. Farrell explains, this can lead to "physical exhaustion and mental exhaustion and an inability to recover in between sessions". For me, this often resulted in a cycle of extreme effort to nothing again and again, leading to overreaching and burnout.

2. Beyond Tired: Recognising the Sneaky Signs of Overtraining

I used to think being exhausted was just part of the deal. But Dr. Farrell points out specific signs that we're pushing too hard:

• That "Can't Shake It" Fatigue: It's more than normal post-workout tiredness. Dr. Farrell describes it as "fatigue beyond normal, you know, that you're kind of needing those energy drinks... needing a lot of caffeine in the morning and you're feeling maybe a lot more tired after a training session... than what you normally would". She adds this isn't just training load, but also "the amount of stress that's going on at home or within work and all of that can build up".

• The Injury Cycle & Getting Sick Often: Are you constantly battling niggles that turn into bigger issues? Dr. Farrell sees patients "presenting with stress fractures or overuse injuries or tendonitis injuries that they're not recovering effectively from". Another red flag? "Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections that as soon as they've... had one infection, they seem to get another one again and again".

• Underfuelling the Engine (RED-S): Dr. Farrell highlighted Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), where "the calories that we're taking in from our food and drink is not meeting the demands of the energy that we're putting out". This "can creep in actually really easily," especially if you're "increasing up their training intensity, but they're not increasing up their... nutrients" or dieting for too long. Symptoms can include fatigue, repeated injuries, mood changes, and for women, missed periods.

3. Recovery Isn't a Weakness, It's Your Secret Weapon

My old mindset was "no days off," fearing I'd "get fat again" or "lose this fitness quick." But Dr. Farrell’s insights flip this on its head. She emphasises that "sleep for me is one of the most important aspects of recovery for sure". When we sleep, our body gets to work repairing muscles and consolidating memories, which is crucial for skill development. Aim for "about seven to nine hours".

This extends to nutrition and overall stress management. Instead of seeing recovery as lost time, Dr. Farrell helps athletes build "routines and kind of getting those kinds of structures in place... so that it kind of falls into their routine and, and part of normal for them". This includes "strategic meal planning" and managing life stresses alongside training.

4. What "Listening to Your Body" Really Means

We hear this all the time, but what's the practical advice? It's about not dismissing those early warnings. Dr. Farrell mentioned how we often have a "twinge that you're like, look, it's Grant, it's fine grand. It doesn't hurt when it runs, so it's not a problem". True listening means acknowledging "some of the signs that our body is giving us that were perhaps pushing ourselves a little bit harder". For me, learning this meant challenging years of "mental stubbornness" that just wanted to push through.

It's about blending how you feel with any data you have. Dr. Farrell advises, "we blend subjectively how we're feeling with the objective data that we have... how do we feel as opposed to how the watch says that we feel". If a familiar run suddenly feels way harder, that's your body talking, loud and clear.

And Finally… Are We There Yet?

So, there you have it. From personal flameouts to expert insights, the message is pretty clear: training hard is only half the battle. The other half? Training smart, which, shock horror, actually involves not training sometimes. It means treating recovery with the same respect we give to that killer hill sprint session.

If you, like me, have occasionally (or, ahem, frequently) resembled a stubborn toddler refusing a nap when your body is crying out for one, maybe it's time we both learned to embrace the art of the strategic day off. After all, even superheroes need to recharge – and last I checked, my collection of race medals didn't come with a cape. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think my couch is calling my name for a very important "strategic recovery session."