How to Know if You Are Overtraining (And How To Fix It)

Most runners love the feeling of progress and let’s be honest, it’s addictive. You get a few weeks of strong training under your belt, start seeing improvements and suddenly you want more. More miles, more speed, more sessions. It is one of the reasons running is such a rewarding sport, but it is also why so many runners end up pushing themselves a little too far.

Overtraining doesn’t always show up as a big injury or a complete loss of motivation, it often creeps in quietly. You feel a bit more tired and grumpy than usual, then your easy pace does not feel easy anymore. Before you realise what is happening, you’re in a place where every run feels harder than it should and everything that usually feels enjoyable starts to lose its spark.

The good news is that overtraining is avoidable, and even if you are halfway there, you can turn it around. We’ll help explain how, but first, the basics.

What Overtraining Actually Is

Overtraining is not just running a lot. Plenty of runners manage high mileage without problems. The issue comes when the stress of training outweighs your ability to recover and this can happen with too much volume, too much intensity, not enough rest, not enough food, poor sleep and increased stress away from running. In many cases it may be a mix of all of the above. Every source of stress counts, whether it is physical or emotional.

Your body can only absorb so much before it starts giving you signals that something is not right. These signals are often subtle at first, which is why so many runners ignore them.

HRV and Overtraining

A useful way to monitor early signs of overload is HRV, or heart rate variability. HRV measures small changes in the time between heartbeats and reflects how well your nervous system is coping with stress. When you are well rested, HRV usually sits higher. When you are under stress, HRV often drops.

Low HRV on its own does not confirm overtraining, but if it stays low for several days alongside heavy legs, poor sleep or irritability, it is a sign that your body is struggling. Many runners use HRV as a daily guide alongside how they feel. It can help you spot when recovery is slipping long before your performance takes a hit.

Signs You Might Be Overtraining

Your easy runs no longer feel easy

This is one of the most reliable red flags. When you are training well, your easy runs feel comfortable, almost effortless. You should finish them feeling almost better than when you started. When you are overtraining, your easy runs feel heavy. Your legs have no spring, you feel like you are dragging yourself along and you might even dread sessions that you normally enjoy.

If you look at your watch and find you are working too hard for a pace that should be relaxed, it is a strong sign that you are not recovering properly.

Chronic fatigue that does not shift

Tiredness after a long run or tough interval session is normal. What is not normal is tiredness that lingers for days. If you wake up exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, or if you feel like every day is a slog, something is off.

This kind of fatigue is not simple muscle soreness. It is a whole body heaviness that makes everything feel harder than it should.

Resting heart rate is higher than usual

Your resting heart rate is one of the most useful indicators of recovery. If it is consistently higher than normal for several days, your body is under stress. Some runners also notice their heart rate drift higher during easy runs, even though the pace stays the same. That is another sign your system is overloaded.

Lack of motivation or feeling flat

Overtraining affects your mood as much as your body. You might feel flat, irritated or uncharacteristically low. Runs that usually lift your mood feel more like a chore. If you find yourself dreading training rather than looking forward to it, you may be pushing too close to the edge.

Trouble sleeping

It might seem strange, but training too hard can make sleep worse. When your stress levels are high, your body struggles to wind down. You might fall asleep easily but wake up in the night, or you might feel wired even though you are exhausted.

Getting ill more often

A suppressed immune system is a classic sign of overtraining. If you seem to catch every cold going, or if small illnesses take longer than usual to clear, it means your body is using its resources to manage training stress rather than defend itself properly.

Aches that don’t go away

Overtraining often shows up as niggles that keep returning. You are not injured, but you never feel completely fresh either. Tight calves, sore hips, a dodgy achilles or a stiff lower back can all be signals that your body is struggling to cope.

Loss of appetite or unusual cravings

Some runners experience a shift in appetite. You might lose your desire to eat after sessions that should make you hungry, or you might crave sugar constantly. Changes like this often happen when you are running on empty.

Slower progress or hitting plateaus

If your training is solid but the results are going backwards, something is wrong. Overtraining reduces performance long before it causes injury. You might feel like you are working twice as hard for half the progress.

Why Overtraining Happens

Doing too much too soon

This is the classic cause. You increase mileage too quickly, or you pile on intense sessions without building a base. The excitement of progress makes it easy to forget that the body needs time to adapt.

Not enough rest

Rest days are not a luxury, they’re part of training. Hard sessions break the body down so it can rebuild stronger and without recovery, that process can’t happen. If you skip rest days or try to run every day without adjusting intensity, you increase your risk of burnout.

Life stress

Training is only one kind of stress. Work, lack of sleep, family responsibilities and general life admin all take energy. If life outside running is hectic, your training load needs to match that reality.

Poor nutrition and hydration

If you are not fuelling properly, your body cannot recover. This includes both daily nutrition and what you take in before, during and after long runs. Many runners underfuel without meaning to. Taking more carbohydrate during runs, and consuming protein after runs and workouts together with collagen and magnesium daily, can make a huge difference.

On longer runs, fuelling regularly with something natural and easy to digest such as Maple Ignite helps keep energy more stable.

Too much intensity

Intervals, hill repeats and tempo runs are great tools, but overdoing them is a fast route to fatigue. A common mistake is trying to run every session a little too hard.

How To Recover From Overtraining for Running

If you suspect you are pushing the limit, this is where the rebuild starts. The steps below show how to recover from overtraining without losing long term progress.

Step back before something breaks

The quickest fix is also the hardest. You need to cut back. That might mean reducing mileage for a week or two, replacing hard sessions with gentle runs or taking complete rest days. This is not wasted time. It is the reset your body needs.

A short cutback now is far better than a long layoff later.

Prioritise sleep

Sleep is the most powerful recovery tool there is. Better sleep means better adaptation, better energy and fewer niggles. Even an extra half an hour a night adds up. If you are a poor sleeper, consider taking Power Up magnesium an hour before bedtime to help you relax and enjoy a deeper night’s sleep.

Eat enough to support your training

You cannot train well if you underfuel. Make sure you are eating regular meals, getting enough carbohydrates and protein to support fuelling and recovery along with recovery focused supplements such as magnesium and collagen.

Always fuel your runs and if you don’t normally like gels, try all-natural and tasty Maple Ignite and Maple Coffee to help keep energy stable without upsetting your stomach.

Bring back the easy runs

Easy running builds endurance without draining recovery. Slow these down and let your body settle. This alone will help you bounce back quicker.

Reduce intensity temporarily

You do not need to stop sessions completely, but backing off the effort helps your body catch up. Swap tempo runs for steady paced runs or run intervals at a gentler effort.

Add strength training, but keep it light

Strength work supports your body through training stress, but when you are overtraining, heavy lifting is too much. Stick to lighter movements that improve stability and mobility.

Hydrate properly

Drink regularly throughout the day and use electrolytes on longer or hotter days. Dehydration increases fatigue and makes heart rate drift higher.

Manage stress outside running

If life is hectic, adjust your training to match. This is not a weakness, it’s smart training and listening to your body.

How to Avoid Overtraining in The First Place

Now that you know how overtraining happens, the next step is prevention. These habits help keep your training balanced so you can keep progressing without slipping back into the same cycle.

Build gradually

Increase mileage slowly and give each jump time to settle. Your body adapts in layers, not leaps.

Keep most runs genuinely easy

Most runners run their easy runs too fast without noticing. Keeping these slow is one of the most reliable ways to avoid burnout.

Follow hard days with easy days

Effort needs space around it. A simple way to avoid problems is to never stack two hard sessions together. When in doubt, go easier.

Fuel before, during and after runs

Underfuelling is one of the quickest ways to end up in an overtrained state. Even a small snack before a morning run helps, and always fuel your runs. 

Take recovery as seriously as training

Rest days and lighter weeks are key. They are the foundation that lets you train consistently. If someone asks you “how can you avoid overtraining”, this is usually the most important answer they need to hear.

Listen to your early signs

If your legs feel heavy, your HRV drops for several days, or your mood dips, act early. You become a stronger runner when you learn to spot these little flags.

Overtraining doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, it means you care about your running and you have pushed hard enough to test your limits. The key is noticing the signs early and responding quickly. When you respect recovery, your training becomes more consistent, your progress smoother and your runs far more enjoyable.

If you slow down your easy days, fuel well, sleep better and give yourself the odd cutback week, you’ll be surprised at how much stronger you feel. Running is a long game and looking after your body is the most reliable way to keep improving without burning yourself out.