LOLZletter 142 | Should You Run When You're Exhausted?

Oct 25, 2021

Welcome,

Was last week tiring or what? The entire week felt like it was never-ending. I felt like I was sleep deficit for a good portion of the week but finally caught back up over the weekend.

This photo probably doesn’t have much to do with being tired but it was nice to end my training week on the Pacific Crest Trail

The lack of sleep got me thinking more about sleep and how much I value it. Is it even good to run on minimal sleep? What happens when your training plan has a scheduled run but you are exhausted? Should you run anyway? "Suck it up"? Sleep in?

Will running make you feel more exhausted?

Some training plans rely on cumulative fatigue. This means constantly being tired, and training through is "part of the plan." But, too much fatigue will lead to injury. Training is a fine line of training enough but not too much. Enough means you arrive at the race ready. Too much training means you arrive at the race start fatigued and maybe even unable to finish.

Finding that line is different for every single person, and it's essential to listen to your body, not always what a training plan has you doing.

First and foremost, it can't be understated that you won't go wrong with more rest. If you feel tired and don't feel well: Just rest.

For me, a personal rule is that if I don't get at least 6 hours of sleep or feel extremely tired, I rest. That usually ends up being at least one extra unplanned day a month. I don't worry about it because I ask myself: Would I rather be hurt because I ran through exhaustion, or would I rather take an extra day off?

Should you run if you are sleep-deprived?

You can run even if you didn't get a great night's sleep. If you find yourself tired but not exhausted, run one mile. If after one mile you feel more tired, stop. If you feel a little better, keep going. If you planned a workout, try to run the same amount of mileage but run easy. Often, getting blood flowing will help you feel more awake. If it doesn't or doesn't feel good, there is no sense in running through exhaustion.

There are many things lack of sleep will effect, including:

Reaction time
Impair judgment
Increase cortisol (is that why it's easy to be stressed out when you're tired?)
Affect muscle glycogen stores (you'll feel tired, faster while working out)
Increase risk of injury or illness

You can read more here.

What Can You Do If You Find Yourself Sleep Deprived:

Sleep:

This is the most obvious answer, but we know by now, it usually isn't that easy. Just saying "sleep more" typically isn't helpful. Ask yourself what are the specific reasons you've had a bad sleep schedule? Address them as quickly as you can so you can get back to normal.

Nap:

I wish so badly I was a daytime napper. But if your schedule allows you to nap, catch up on a few zzzs then. If you can take a power nap throughout the day, do it.

Drink Coffee:

Research has gone back and forth with "is coffee good for you," but there is plenty of evidence it is. Like anything, the effect of coffee varies from person to person. I wouldn't tell someone to continuously drink coffee on days they lack sleep, but there is nothing wrong with having some caffeine to keep you going.

Lower Training Volume:

If lowering training volume for a week or two allows you to catch up on sleep, by all means, do it. You won't lose fitness in a week. In fact, you might come back more refreshed. Overall you will feel better if you choose to catch up on your sleep versus choosing to run.

What if none of this applies?

As always, your doctor can give better advice than a running newsletter. If you find yourself in sleep deprivation all of the time, it's time to check with a professional. It could be a sign of low iron or needing blood work. Your overall health is more important than running.