Running on tired legs: My training plan... - Fun Beyond 10K & ...

Fun Beyond 10K & Race Support

2,589 members7,699 posts

Running on tired legs

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon
27 Replies

My training plan calls for back to back runs on two consecutive days. The idea is that, on the second day, you get used to running on tired legs.

What I've found is that two long runs on consecutive days don't really give me the feeling of tired legs (I tend to do my long runs at a very easy pace). It has much more effect if I go for a shorter run on the first day but include fast intervals.

What do you find causes you to have tired legs on a run?

Written by
SkiMonday profile image
SkiMonday
Ultramarathon
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
27 Replies
Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Half Marathon

Definitely shorter faster runs for me too. I feel a 5K with fartleks much more in my legs the following day than a long slow run!

linda9389 profile image
linda9389AdministratorMarathon

A long slow HILLY trail run sure tired my legs out today!

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to linda9389

Recently, I've been walking the uphills because that's my strategy for the event. Seems like a good way to increase the training load.

linda9389 profile image
linda9389AdministratorMarathon in reply to SkiMonday

I was walking up 'em - still tired my legs 😅

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to linda9389

You’ll get better the more hills you run though 💪🏃‍♀️🙂👍

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

True. That's got me thinking that I might have a go at a hilly HM like the Forest of Dean. Not till next year though.

Currently, I need to conserve energy in order to make the distance.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to SkiMonday

You will ! 💪👍 Long, slow runs are lovely. Grub, tunes and maybe some scenery, are all helpful in chewing up those miles 🙂.

backintime profile image
backintime10 Miles

Definitely hills for me too, or strength exercises make them feel heavy sometimes too

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to backintime

Might evdn go back to the gym one of these days! Meanwhile, squats will have to do.

backintime profile image
backintime10 Miles in reply to SkiMonday

The other thing is not to be well hydrated, that's heavy legs for sure for me :D

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to backintime

Yes, that wold do it too! I make sure that I'm well hydrated on the grounds that I need to to keep building stamina. Currently taking two litres on longer runs. For the event, I'm thinking of taking a one litre bottle and filling up at checkpoints.

Frenc profile image
FrencHalf Marathon

Great question SkiMonday 😊. Leg strength in the gym can cause aching and heavy legs especially after a heavy leg day. My legs felt like lead during yesterday’s run! But I intuitively know the gym work helps keep me off the IC, so I keep doing it. Oh, and hills 📈📈📈.

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to Frenc

Thanks French. Gym work, hills and faster runs seem to be the most effective.

Magellan profile image
MagellanMarathon

A third consecutive day tends to do my legs in, if the first two weren’t very gentle or short.

Both my occasional running partners are faster than me, and just as experienced as me at hills. I tend to set a gentle pace for them at first which they match, but when we get to a slope they will keep that pace, which they aren’t really aware of much change in the difficulty, but I can only keep up at the cost of very tired legs, while they reach the top fresh as a daisy.

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to Magellan

You could take the view that, because you're working harder, you're getting more out of the run.

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon

My new plan calls for me to run 13KM on Monday, then "best effort" on tired legs over 6.5 KM on Wed. This is new to me - I'll let you know!

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to Curlygurly2

I like a shorter leg shake out run the day after a long one. My legs get really twitchy so I take them for a spin I find it helps

If you don’t get on with it you can bin it off 🙂👍🏃‍♀️

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2

Good luck with that! Be interesting to hear how you get on.

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2

How did you get on on Wednesday?

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday

Strangely - Wednesday wasn't too bad, although I went out too fast and couldn't keep the pace up.. you think I might know not to do that after 7 years of running but there you go...I'll learn from that....

Thursday (today) on the other hand was really hard, just 3 KM, I felt like my legs had turned into stilts, and I was really tired afterwards, kept nodding off all afternoon, and craving carbs...I never eat processed carbs, but I ate two slices of bread today.

I seem to remember this kind of tiredness kicking in 3 or 4 days after a long run last year, it's been a while since I've done this kind of run. I put it down to radiotherapy fatigue then.... Next week is similar, I'm interested to see what might happen then.

I'll keep you posted xx

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2

I reckon that your fast run yesterday is probably the reason today's run was hard. Which is where I started with this topic!

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday

Possibly - I tend to think it was the long run on Monday... we'll see over the next weeks.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

My legs failed me the other day as I’d run out of fuel, and stupidly took nothing with me.

Schoolgirl error 🙈🤨

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

I've had a few runs where I can no longer maintain pace. I guess that's down to fuelling.

I'm now using energy bars, electrolyte in my water plus sandwiches.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to SkiMonday

I use the homemade recipe bar I just posted for Skysue 😋

If I’ve no electrolyte I just use water with a tiny bit of sea salt and a few drops of range juice or cordial

I do like a sarni! Peanut butter and Blackcurrant jam 🤗😋

SkiMonday profile image
SkiMondayUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Although, with sanis, I have to drop to a walk whilst eating so that I don't inhale breadcrumbs.

GoGo_JoJo profile image
GoGo_JoJoUltramarathon

I only really find tired legs if my hydration is badly off. I ran every day throughout my Xmas break, not short ones either, and it wasn't an issue at all.

You may also like...

Running with dumbbells strapped to my legs! 😆

toughest runs in a long time, phew glad to be on the sofa with a cuppa 🫖☕ Anyway I've a run...

HM training week5 day2 - tempo run & new leggings by Lucy Locket Loves

manage to run even when I really think I can’t. There is no way I can break the training. The run...

Back to Back runs - how do I train for that?

start training on trails, my question is: How do you (I) train to run for three days......

Will my legs get used to the distance?

Thursday long run (up to 9.3 miles so far) and Saturday parkrun 3.14 miles. My long runs started at...

It was January and I really did Run Every Day 😀🏃‍♀️

thought I would. I’ve never run a streak before, maybe one or two consecutive days here and there,...