Taking ages to warm up?

[Rookie]

I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.

Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.

Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
now.

 

[John Hardt]

On 8/3/05 5:21 AM, in article, "Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
>
> Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
>
> Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> now.
>

Rookie,

I'm no seasoned veteran, but I experienced a similar thing last year before
my first IM and it worried the heck out of me. A voice in my head kept
saying "if a 45 minute run gives me problems, what is going to happen on
race day?". Sound familiar?

I eventually discovered there were two different things going on: 1) You're
tired and need a rest after all that training and 2) you're in great shape.

The cure is to taper, give your body a break for a bit during your taper,
then go enjoy the race.

Good luck.

John

 

[John Hardt]

On 8/3/05 5:21 AM, in article, "Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
>
> Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
>
> Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> now.
>

Rookie,

I'm no seasoned veteran, but I experienced a similar thing last year before
my first IM and it worried the heck out of me. A voice in my head kept
saying "if a 45 minute run gives me problems, what is going to happen on
race day?". Sound familiar?

I eventually discovered there were two different things going on: 1) You're
tired and need a rest after all that training and 2) you're in great shape.

The cure is to taper, give your body a break for a bit during your taper,
then go enjoy the race.

Good luck.

John

 

[Tamyka Bell]

John Hardt wrote:
>
> On 8/3/05 5:21 AM, in article, "Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> > nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> > longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> > a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> > hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> > Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> > Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> > fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
> >
> > Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> > of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> > down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> > like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> > pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> > pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> > the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
> >
> > Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> > excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> > as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> > wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> > lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> > up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> > been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> > now.
> >
>
> Rookie,
>
> I'm no seasoned veteran, but I experienced a similar thing last year before
> my first IM and it worried the heck out of me. A voice in my head kept
> saying "if a 45 minute run gives me problems, what is going to happen on
> race day?". Sound familiar?
>
> I eventually discovered there were two different things going on: 1) You're
> tired and need a rest after all that training and 2) you're in great shape.
>
> The cure is to taper, give your body a break for a bit during your taper,
> then go enjoy the race.
>
> Good luck.
>
> John

Also, there's no law against doing some intensity in the first 15 min of
a run. Sometimes it can hurt like **** to try to work up to a pace...
but if you work past that pace for just 20s or so, dropping back to that
pace afterwards feels much more comfortable. (You would've experienced
that in surge sessions and stuff before... when you notice your recovery
pace after the first surge is faster than your warm up pace was.)

You're allowed to taper already - just remember keep the intensity up as
you drop the volume. Remember that training adaptation takes around 2
weeks, so anything from here in is just a reminder for your body... you
can't get any fitter now, you can only do damage.

Tam

 

[StanSD]

What you are experiencing is completely normal. I've experienced that same
thing in every ironman I've ever done. Your body has gone into
healing/recovery mode, and is resisting more punishment. This will pass
after a week or two into your taper, and your body will be rearing to go by
the week before the race-don't screw it up once that happens...continue to
take it easy until mile 70 of the bike on race day, and you'll do great.

Stan


"Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
>
> Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
>
> Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> now.
>

 

[Sam]

Looks like the taper is coming along at the right time.
"Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
>
> Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
>
> Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> now.
>

 

[Andrew Halperin]

This suggestion is just asking for injury. The longer the distance you
train for the longer it takes to warm up. I would highly recommend
allowing for proper warm up time for all of your activities. Doing
intervals or significant intensity out the door on a long run or ride
will most likely lead to injury.

-Andrew
Boulder, CO

Tamyka Bell wrote:

>
> Also, there's no law against doing some intensity in the first 15 min of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> a run. Sometimes it can hurt like **** to try to work up to a pace...
> but if you work past that pace for just 20s or so, dropping back to that
> pace afterwards feels much more comfortable.

 

[IMKen]

What you are experiencing is normal for most of us. During your taper be
sure, after a good warm-up, to do some very short intensity work to bring
your HR up to near max. Keep it short. Just one little burst each day in
one of the sports. This will insure that you lose nothing during your
taper. On Race day you will feel great.

Ken



"Rookie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently training for first ironman (less than 3 weeks to go so
> nearly tapering at last!) and have noticed recently that I take a lot
> longer to get going than I used to. E.g. on the bike I generally start
> a ride feeling pretty tired - legs a bit sluggish, feels like really
> hard work to actually get my pulse up into my normal training zone.
> Sometimes find myself wondering whether I should be training at all.
> Invariably though, if I push through it I end up feeling absolutely
> fine, but this sometimes takes an hour or more to happen.
>
> Less noticeable on the swims but went running last night with the aim
> of 10 minute warmup, then a 45 minute run around zone 3 and a warm
> down. First 15 minutes at zone 3 was dreadful - legs felt empty, felt
> like I was working too hard and would never be able to sustain it,
> pulse took forever to get into the zone, had quite a few aches and
> pains as well. From 15 minutes in it got easier and easier until at
> the end I was fairly storming and didn't want to stop.
>
> Don't think I have a problem with overtraining as I haven't been doing
> excessive volume, have been getting plenty of sleep and good food and
> as I said, I end up feeling pretty great in most sessions. Just
> wondering whether other people have noticed this effect from doing a
> lot of endurance training? I have always taken a little while to warm
> up, particularly when in the middle of heavy training but it's always
> been more the order of 5-10 minutes, nothing like what I'm experiencing
> now.
>

 

[Tamyka Bell]

My reply is below, as per not top posting.

Andrew Halperin wrote:
>
> This suggestion is just asking for injury. The longer the distance you
> train for the longer it takes to warm up. I would highly recommend
> allowing for proper warm up time for all of your activities. Doing
> intervals or significant intensity out the door on a long run or ride
> will most likely lead to injury.
>
> -Andrew
> Boulder, CO
>
> Tamyka Bell wrote:
>
> >
> > Also, there's no law against doing some intensity in the first 15 min of
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > a run. Sometimes it can hurt like **** to try to work up to a pace...
> > but if you work past that pace for just 20s or so, dropping back to that
> > pace afterwards feels much more comfortable.


Very interesting how you chose to misinterpret that. Read the entire
paragraph. I'm not talking about a high intensity workout in the first
15 minutes and I certainly never suggested "doing intervals or
significant intensity out the door on a long run or ride". If, after
about 8-10 minutes of very easy warm up pace, you do 20s of running
faster (above warmup pace), this should still be no faster than your
long run pace. It's faster than a warmup, sure, and therefore higher
intensity as far as warming up is concerned, but if you're going to get
injured from one 20s mild surge in the first 15 minutes of running, then
you're probably not up to a long run anyway.

Tam

 

[Tom Henderson]

Tamyka Bell <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Very interesting how you chose to misinterpret that. Read the entire
> paragraph. I'm not talking about a high intensity workout in the first
> 15 minutes and I certainly never suggested "doing intervals or
> significant intensity out the door on a long run or ride".

I "misinterpreted" your post the same way Andrew did, so the clarification
was probably in order. Thanks.

Tom