Overreaching vs overtraining
Functional overreaching is planned — a short overload followed by recovery that produces a fitness jump. Non-functional overreaching is unplanned — performance drops for weeks. Overtraining syndrome is months of degraded performance, mood, and immune function. The early signs are the same. Catch them.
Early warning signs
Multiple of these for 10+ days deserves a deload:
- Resting heart rate elevated 5-10 bpm above baseline
- Heart rate variability (HRV) trending down for 2+ weeks
- Easy runs that feel hard, hard runs that feel impossible
- Sleep gets worse — falling asleep is fine, staying asleep isn't
- Mood drop, irritability, loss of motivation to run
- Frequent minor illnesses (colds, sore throats)
- Persistent soreness that doesn't improve with normal recovery
What to do today
Don't wait for one more bad week:
- Cut volume 30-50% for 7-10 days
- Drop all intensity — easy aerobic only
- Sleep 9 hours. Eat at maintenance or above.
- If symptoms persist past 2 weeks of deload — see a sports medicine clinician
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