can't run as far!

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piheart
piheart Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been on vacation for the past three days and eating at maintenance for the first time since starting myfitnesspal. I normally eat 1700-1900 on average including what I eat back from exercise. The past two days I have gone over goal even at maintenance, which I have expected because of being on vacation. I had an opportunity to exercise a couple times, and went for a run twice total - one time on a treadmill, then outside. Normally I am able to do 3 miles no problem first thing in the morning, but this morning I could only do 1.6 before stopping. I'm just curious about this - not worried, just want to know the possible reason I couldn't run as far? Overeating? I feel a little sluggish, maybe that's it? Normally I exercise 9x a week, 6 days of cardio and strength training on 3 of those days, but I missed my strength both this past Monday and Friday because of Labor Day and vacation. I am wondering about your personal experiences with this. Thanks everybody!!

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    piheart wrote: »
    I have been on vacation for the past three days and eating at maintenance for the first time since starting myfitnesspal. I normally eat 1700-1900 on average including what I eat back from exercise. The past two days I have gone over goal even at maintenance, which I have expected because of being on vacation. I had an opportunity to exercise a couple times, and went for a run twice total - one time on a treadmill, then outside. Normally I am able to do 3 miles no problem first thing in the morning, but this morning I could only do 1.6 before stopping. I'm just curious about this - not worried, just want to know the possible reason I couldn't run as far? Overeating? I feel a little sluggish, maybe that's it? Normally I exercise 9x a week, 6 days of cardio and strength training on 3 of those days, but I missed my strength both this past Monday and Friday because of Labor Day and vacation. I am wondering about your personal experiences with this. Thanks everybody!!

    You could have just been having an off day. It happens to most people now and then. I've never had a problem getting back to exercising after a few days off but we're all different.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    Atrophy. Total and complete atrophy.
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
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    sjohnny wrote: »
    Atrophy. Total and complete atrophy.

    Hahaha thanks.
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    edited September 2015
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    jemhh wrote: »
    You could have just been having an off day. It happens to most people now and then. I've never had a problem getting back to exercising after a few days off but we're all different.

    Thank you, that is kinda what I figured. I don't consider myself a runner but after doing more cardio I have been able to run a lot more than in the past, but I don't know much about it. So I'm just curious how other people's stamina changes/fluctuates with running.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    edited September 2015
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    It's science;

    Different environment,
    Different schedule,
    Different result.

    Your welcome :sunglasses:

    ETA: punctuation
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    Maybe just tired? Or did you run faster than usual? Different elevation? Temperature? Humidity? Bad batch of Doritos?

    A rest day once in a while wouldn't be a bad idea.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    I'd chalk it up to a "bad day" and try again next time. I've certainly had my share of days where 10 steps in I'm already done. I had a bad run two weekends ago and cut it short. I decided the next morning to do the rest of the miles I should have done. I steeled myself to the idea it was going to be a bad run, too, because I never run two days in a row and I thought my legs would be tired, but it was nearly effortless. Go figure, right?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    mwyvr wrote: »
    Maybe just tired? Or did you run faster than usual? Different elevation? Temperature? Humidity? Bad batch of Doritos?

    A rest day once in a while wouldn't be a bad idea.

    All of this
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    Yup, too many factors effect 1 run. Try again another day and come back.

    Usually taking 3 days off and even a little overeating all by itself would not effect you too much.

    Could also be sleep. You had too much fun on your vacation and came back to reality on a Monday and not used to getting up early again?
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    For me, my runs change a lot depending on where I am. I live in high elevation, so running is more difficult for me aerobically. But when I travel for work and I hit sea level, I can run for forever and never need to stop... but then when I come back home, it's like the fiery pits of hades in my oxygen starved lungs.

    My point, environment and elevation can play huge factors in addition to the myriad of other things that also factor in.
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I completely neglected to mention the fact that there were definitely a couple inclines on my run this morning, when my normal terrain is very flat. That is very likely to have contributed, and it makes sense that environmental changes would make a bigger difference than me overeating for a couple days - at least that seems to be the general consensus. ETA: and sleep could have likely made a difference as well, along with all the other environmental factors specific to vacation that everyone else mentioned :)

    Thanks everybody!!! One more day of road tripping & fast food today, then back to the real world tomorrow!
  • piheart
    piheart Posts: 122 Member
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    mwyvr wrote: »
    Maybe just tired? Or did you run faster than usual? Different elevation? Temperature? Humidity? Bad batch of Doritos?

    A rest day once in a while wouldn't be a bad idea.

    Totally agree, I always take Sundays off. Normally on those days I even get less than 1000 steps... I pretty much try not to leave the couch if possible (;
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Have you ever run two miles consecutively?

    ETA @SueInAz
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Usually I can climb up and down the subway stairs, no problem, but occasionally I'll barely make it up the flight without stopping and I'm totally out of breath at the top. It's so weird because the next day it's back to normal. I think we are sometimes tired or hungry or something is going on that's sapping our energy.
  • patrikc333
    patrikc333 Posts: 436 Member
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    come on, don't even think 1 second about this

    everyday is different, every run is different, we are not computer so it happens

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