Are you overtraining and under-performing?

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Start strong and finish strong by not overdoing it in the days and weeks prior. Photo: Ben Rushton

Are you running long distances unnecessarily? Are you training for an event and unsure about how far you should be able to run to be race-ready?

With the fun run season well and truly upon us, it’s something Sydney-based triathlon and running coach Sarah Anne Evans gets asked a lot. “People are always worried about doing too little and often end up doing too much,” she says.

Overtraining is certainly an easy trap to fall into, especially when tackling a distance for the first time. You don’t want to be underdone, but that – ironically – can be your undoing. I got a stress fracture in my ankle from overtraining leading up to the New York marathon and would seriously reconsider my training mix next time round. (Hmm, must get around to that!)

Evans says the amount you run in training depends on a couple of things: are you a complete beginner or a seasoned runner; and do you just want to tick off and complete your first 5km or 10km race, or are you aiming for a PB or podium?