sore throat... overtraining?

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 07:14 AM

I have been following the CA WOD for about 3 weeks now and it has been awesome. For the last week however I began having a tickle in my throat and increased exhaustion. I figured it was just my body having a bit of difficulty with the new stress so I upped the food and have been trying to do nothing I don’t have to. One issue is I use my bike for transport and don’t have a car which has never been a constraint on my recovery when CFing SSing or any of the hybrid approaches I have trained however this is beating me up pretty good.

So as of Saturday night at the end of my third week of the second strength cycle My throat went completely raw in the middle of the night and I am sore in an unusual way. I also feel tired and cloudy headed yet I am not sleeping the best. I am sleeping a lot it just isn’t as restful the last few days.

I would think it is just a cold or something, which it could be, it just doesn’t quite feel like any illness I have had before. I am still strong and hungry and stuff however after another sore throat Sunday night I am going to take today off training. I also as of yesterday cut out IFing although if I were just regular sick I would increase my fasts.

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions would be appreciated.

Here is a link to my WO Log http://performancemenu.com/forum/sho...?t=3798&page=3

Garrett Smith · 03-23-2009, 07:33 AM

Biking a lot (even easy) will suck a lot of energy out of you. I have a buddy going through the same thing, and I've discussed this with Greg Davis on this board (you might want to PM him to find out what he did about it).

Your symptoms would appear to be caused by high cortisol, as in too much training/work/school/life/biking stress. Your body is adapting to this load by increasing the cortisol output, but this cannot last forever. If you'd like to learn more about this whole syndrome, you should invest in a book called "Adrenal Fatigue" by Dr. James Wilson. Don't let this go too far before making significant changes in your programming.

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Don't let this go too far before making significant changes in your programming.

Dr. G, I thought this was probrably something like what was going on......

What if I were to take a couple of days off no biking finish my strength cycle minus metcons, then take a full week off with maybe just some yoga and technique drills in the O-Lifts before initiating the Bulgarian cycle and then lower the volume if I feel similar symptoms occurring.

I have read that adjusting to this volume of training can happen and perhaps if I stick with the CA WOD I will not continue in this state. Would my above method perhaps help the adaptation along? Also I have read a little about over reaching and they would intentionally bring people into this state before backing off in order to allow for rebounding testosterone levels… Is it possible to turn this accidental over reaching to my advantage by correctly backing off before initiating the Bulgarian cycle? and could that help my adaptation to the training load?

Any one got suggestions on a proper backing off method?

Thnx Dr. G and all who are giving this their attention.

Steven Low · 03-23-2009, 08:18 AM

Rest more.

There's many methods like 1/2 intensity or 1/2 volume or whatever you want. If you haven't experimented with this stuff before now is a good time to do so.

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Low

Rest more.

There's many methods like 1/2 intensity or 1/2 volume or whatever you want. If you haven't experimented with this stuff before now is a good time to do so.

Thanx Steven I will.... I remember a post you had on the subject which spoke of a time when you felt you lost strength during the back off do to not eating enough.... with that in mind I will be gorging myself LOL.

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 08:33 AM

I think I might just halve the reps in the sets for this last week and do it twice while limiting my heavy singles to 80% (does that sound too high?) of my 1RM in the lift I am working.

Then on the final test day I will go for MAX PRs for the Bulgarian cycle and keep a tab on my recovery having had this experience to reference.

Garrett Smith · 03-23-2009, 08:36 AM

Take a week of just yoga/stretching, mobility work, and drills...then see how you are feeling. It may take even more time, or you may want to do this again in a couple of weeks.

Mike ODonnell · 03-23-2009, 08:40 AM

How fast are you biking all over the place? If you are bonking yourself left and right....Ummmm, yeah expect your immune system to be crushed....take it slow and easy, enjoy it. Eat more, sleep, find balance....not more stressors. Think of it also that you don't catch a cold...you destroy your immune system enough that it can't fight off intruders.

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 09:18 AM

MOD... I know this was totally predictable the truth is I have never followed a program regulated by % and I have never O-lifted/squatted at even nearly this volume so I stuck to the plan and when I recognized my recovery was losing ground I began to look into alternatives. And I honestly would rather walk/bus and train for a little while and skip the bike as it was really just a quick and easy way to get places. Like I said I have had no problem with it before during some high volume/intensity programs... as much as I am falling in love with the O-Lifts I am beat by the training.

Liam Dougherty Springer · 03-23-2009, 09:23 AM

After getting up drinking water for a couple hours and eating a nice sized breakfast (apples almond butter one teaspoon vit D enhanced cod liver oil a large grass-fed lamb sausage and 4 farm fresh eggs with kale and zucchini seasoned with cayenne cumin and sea salt) I am feeling much better and the throat is nearly back to normal. I really don't think it is a cold it resembles everything I have ever read or heard about the syndrome Dr. G described. That is not to say I am not asking for a cold by continuing this way without taking steps to increase my recovery.

Dr.G what if I compromise and just do a little squating and pressing one day this week and a little snatching and C&J one day this week so it is at least a little bit of a back off and not a full on rest?

No matter what I decided to take today OFF, which to be completely honest was still up for debate.... I am one sick puppie