Variations in performance - running

CindyFooWho · March 2016

I am a "sometimes runner." I do many different types of workouts, so I only ever run about once or twice per week. I'm okay enough that I run (jog) about a 10 minute mile, doing about 3 miles at a time. So that's where I am.

I find, however, that my ability, specifically my stamina or endurance, varies greatly from one run to the next. Does anyone else find this to be so? For example, sometimes I can breeze right through the 3 miles, and then sometimes, like last night, I pretty much had to quit halfway through.

What are some factors that you think affect your ability to run well? I think I might play with foods, different warmups, etc.

This is why I've been hesitant to sign up for a race. With my luck the event will be on one of my unpredictable "off" days.

msujack · March 2016

Your body performs to its best depending on fuel, stress, exhaustion, and many factors. You may have a tough run because you are mentally not really into it, or because your body is exhausted from too little sleep or too much exercise previous days. Everyone has good days and bad days. They are usually bad due to being tired or mentally spent.

kristinegift · March 2016

^^^^ what @msujack said. Some days it's easy, some days it's hard. This can be due to stress, sleep, food, hydration... a whole multitude of reasons. And some days, your head just isn't in it. And that's fine. What's important is that you keep doing it.

jacksonpt · March 2016

msujack wrote: »

Your body performs to its best depending on fuel, stress, exhaustion, and many factors. You may have a tough run because you are mentally not really into it, or because your body is exhausted from too little sleep or too much exercise previous days. Everyone has good days and bad days. They are usually bad due to being tired or mentally spent.

agreed. it's pretty normal for performance to vary.

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage · March 2016

Totally normal. For me, my performance will suffer if I'm not properly hydrated or if I haven't been fueling myself well for the past number of days. Also if I've been drinking the night before, I can count on a crappy run.

robertw486 · March 2016

@CindyFooWho

I avoid running much due to back issues and impact concerns, but have noticed the same thing with my elliptical and biking workouts.

Beyond the mental aspects mentioned, I've found food timing important to me. I usually eat very little early in the day, and the majority of my calories post workout later in the day. But at a higher end level of intensity, I realized that even a few hundred calories of carbs (usually some fruit or similar quick carbs) helped my workout and changed the perceived exertion level quite a bit. As well as having impact on my heart rate, which could tie in with perceived exertion. At moderate to lower levels I could skip the pre workout carbs and not notice much if at all.

For warmups, at lower intensities I can just skip it. That being said, I've found that all my personal records based on a set time (usually I look at a half hour or hour) seem to come easier after some warmup. This becomes more and more obvious as I push pace.

I also find that carb intake vs overall training load impacts me quite a bit. If I haven't trained in several days, no concern. If I train hard on back to back or closer together days, carb intake impacts things more, as well as recovery foods.

But even with things I've figured out as helpful or not for me personally, there are the occasional days that everything seems "right" and either my performance is lacking or the effort is much higher. And I've also had the occasional day where it just seemed almost too easy. Until I figure those days out, it will always be a work in progress.

BrianSharpe · March 2016

CindyFooWho wrote: »

I find, however, that my ability, specifically my stamina or endurance, varies greatly from one run to the next. Does anyone else find this to be so?

Just every runner in the world......

There are so many factors that come into play which have been pretty well covered.

Running more frequently will help minimize the variances but if you sign up for a race I can pretty much guarantee that you'll get a boost from the atmosphere and being around other runners, it's hard to describe but it's real.

blues4miles · March 2016

Hydration, sleep, when's the last time I ran, adequate rest, too much rest...

Personal experience says less than 6 hours of sleep and I will run like crap. Also, every day I have a crappy run I almost always have a great run the next day. Like sometimes my body just needs to slow down and want to walk and get some rest. Then the next day it'll feel easier and I'll feel strong. That's how I get through the hard runs.

Also since you say you are a sometimes runner that is probably part of your problem. Nothing prepares you for running except running. If I don't get in 3-4 runs a week I can expect to be losing strength and stamina.

arussell134 · March 2016

If you were to run consistently 4-5 times per week, I bet you'd find some of that variation would die down. That is, if you enjoy running and want to pursue it more!

As the others have said, lack of sleep, feeling stressed, not enough food/water, and sometimes just having an "off" day happens. However when I look at my training journal for the last few months, I see a steady, overall increase of my performances and just how I feel. I run 5 days per week, about 30 miles. I do train for a variety of race distances- I've got everything from 5k - 26.2 on the calendar this year. These help inform my training and force me to be more consistent with it.

My question - do you want to run more? Do you want to have more consistently "good" days? Or are you just curious about your performances in general? (I totally get not everyone wants to run that much!)

Variations in performance - running

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