Why some runners crash when training hard
Muscle fiber typology is associated with the incidence of overreaching in response to overload training.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Standard biomarkers like resting metabolic rate and blood markers didn’t distinguish overreached from fatigued runners.
Most coaches and athletes rely on blood tests and heart rate variability to detect overtraining, but this study found no systematic differences in these measures between groups.
Practical Takeaways
Athletes prone to burnout during heavy training blocks may benefit from muscle composition assessment to tailor volume and recovery.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Standard biomarkers like resting metabolic rate and blood markers didn’t distinguish overreached from fatigued runners.
Most coaches and athletes rely on blood tests and heart rate variability to detect overtraining, but this study found no systematic differences in these measures between groups.
Practical Takeaways
Athletes prone to burnout during heavy training blocks may benefit from muscle composition assessment to tailor volume and recovery.
Publication
Journal
Journal of applied physiology
Year
2020
Authors
Phillip M Bellinger, B. Desbrow, W. Derave, E. Lievens, C. Irwin, S. Sabapathy, Ben Kennedy, Jonathan Craven, Evan N Pennell, Hal Rice, C. Minahan
Related Content
Claims (4)
Elite middle-distance runners with more fast-twitch muscle fibers (based on certain chemical levels) might be more likely to get overtrained after intense training, while those with more slow-twitch fibers tend to recover better and perform stronger after rest.
When 24 top middle-distance runners did a tough 3-week training plan, half got so worn down that their performance dropped, while the other half felt tired but still performed well — showing that people respond very differently to intense training.
Elite middle-distance runners with more of a certain muscle chemical (carnosine) tend to get worse, not better, after intense training and rest—meaning their performance drops instead of improving.
People with more fast-twitch muscles or who are older may bounce back slower after workouts and are more likely to get overtrained than younger people or those with more slow-twitch muscles.