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General Fitness & Nutrition: General Fatigue

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    stevescott
    I am a 42 year old male and have been seiously running for the past two years after competing in HS and College.  For the past year or so, every couple of months, I experience a general fatigue that lasts for a week or two.  Leading up to that point, I get easily winded despite slowing my pace down and subsequently become more tired during the day to the point where I do not want to go out and exert myself.  I've gone to the doctor and they cannot pinpoint an exact cause of this.  It's very frustrating.  I take vitamins every morning and have recently begun taking iron supplements due to being diagnosed with an iron deficiency in the past, thinking that that may be my problem.  Any ideas?
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    mikeygolden

    Is it just when you run?  Have you tried cross training?

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberchiggyxc
    • CommentTimeFeb 6th 2008
     
    chiggyxc
    Sorry I dont have any ideas for you. Its just that your name drew my attention to this threading thinking you might be THE Steve Scott, but i believe the guy i'm thinking of is a good 10 years older.
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberwestconn
    • CommentTimeFeb 6th 2008
     
    westconn

    Any variation in the weekly mileage during the last year?   Does the timing of the fatigue coincide with a spike in the weekly mileage (either the week of....or the week after the spike)?

    If it is due to a spike....maybe look at carb intake immediately after running.......perhaps impacting your recovery

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberstevescott
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
     
    stevescott

    To respond to the comments, it's whenever I exert myself.  Running is the most pronounced.

    I am not The steve scott.  Scott is my middle name.  I have met The steve scott before.  Great guy, phenomenal runner.

    I have increased my mileage by 4-5 miles/week over the past month and a half, but I don't think that or my nutrition has anything to do with it as I am fatigued days later even after laying off for a few days.

     Thanks for all your comments.  I recently went to the doctor who drew blood and referred me to a tissue specialist who deals with fatigue.  Hopefully, this helps. 

     

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberdrasticp
    • CommentTimeFeb 14th 2008
     
    drasticp

    ALLERGIES. You may not feel any external effects of an allergy attack, but the symptoms are there. If your fatigue is about the same time of year, you may have a light allergic response to an environmental cycle (mold, pollen bloom, mountain cedar, etc.)

    It's worth a shot. Check the pollen levels in your area when you're feeling crappy.

    • CommentAuthorFree MemberBen424
    • CommentTimeFeb 16th 2008
     
    Ben424
    Did your Dr. test for Lyme's disease?
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberrcmojon6
    • CommentTimeFeb 16th 2008
     
    rcmojon6
    I have experience w/ "general" fatigue.  Your description is familiar to me.  I am in the same age group.  Medical issues aside, your body is having a hard time repairing itself and adjusting to the sport of running.  It sounds like you've decided (as I did) to take it to a higher level and see how well you can condition yourself in your 40's.  It takes a toll, emotionally and physically.  I call it "beating me down".  There are less of those string of down days now than a year ago.  The good news is (again, aside from a medical problem) it will pass! At 45, I have had a steady diet of 40-65 miles per week for about 14 months and don't consider fatigue a problem.  Of course I have bad days, but it's not debilitating.  Hang in there, fight through the tough patches, and you will be stronger because of it.
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    davidcberry
    Are you incorporating periodization into your training?  That is, you should have about 3 weeks of hard effort followed by one week of easy effort level training.  The easy week gives you body time to rest and recover and gain from the harder training weeks.  Lots of people just train hard all the time without ever giving their body time to recover.  The fatigue you are fighting could be your body's way of saying slow down.
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberstevescott
    • CommentTimeFeb 19th 2008
     
    stevescott

    Thanks for all your comments.  I went to the doctor, who drew blood.  I think he tested for allergies and I know he tested for Lyme's disease.  I am waiting for the results.  I think I tend to agree with rcmojon6 and davidcberry in that my body is having a hard time repairing itself.  I found that I was running too hard on my easy days, so I've backed off a bit.  In addition, I'm starting to work out with a track club with an established coach.  Hopefully, the combination of those things will help out.  I also feel that it might be my iron supply since I have been feeling progressively better since I began the supplements.

    • CommentAuthorFree Membermargo328
    • CommentTimeFeb 24th 2008
     
    margo328
    It is awesome to see that you have joined a track club with a coach! I competed in HS and college as well and found that once I was all on my own I had a hard time with...EVERYTHING! Fatigue, overexertion...and underexertion, pain, lack of motivation...there's no team anymore, no coach, it's very hard. Especially if you are trying to be competitive and not just running for the fun of it. I will say the things that helped my tremendously are 1) a running partner, even if they don't run with you, you still have someone to talk to about running constantly :) 2) Hal Higdon's book "Marathon". Even if you are not running a marathon this is a great book. It covers pretty much everything. My friend and I always find ourselves saying,"But Hal said..." especially when we are about to over do it. He in fact is my "coach" per say (halhigdon.com). I hope everything works out! I know how frustrating it can be!!! Good luck!
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberBendy
    • CommentTimeMar 9th 2008
     
    Bendy

    I would say stop taking vitamins and suppliments, and start eating much more veg.

    You need cabbage and carrots, not bottles of pills.

    Simple as that ;o)

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