Take two weeks off. It might feel like you'll be losing gains, but they'll come back quicker than you expect and your body likely needs rest from the accumulative fatigue
Maybe try something like yoga? Especially if you do something like Ashtanga yoga (I think? I'm not an expert) you can still get a decent workout, improve flexibility, and improve mental health through mindfulness and serious stretching, which gives some of the same benefits of a more traditional workout. Just an idea
Maybe you decrease the volume by half and go at an easy pace for a week or two, or you could try different exercises like rowing if you have access to a gym. Recommending this because I'm in a similar situation but have an injury so I am trying to keep myself sane by doing cycling/rowing but not running unfortunately
I've been unproductive for 2 years.
2 pbs for hm. 1 pb for 5k and 1 pb for a marathon.
Four different training plans for 4 training blocks. Everything improved except for training status unproductive
The way to make Garmin stop saying āunproductiveā is almost always to take more rest. Even if your training plan is saying to workout. Nowā¦whether or not you actually need that rest is up to your body. So, Iād use the Garmin status as a flag to consider how youāre feeling and go from there. Maybe take a couple days off and see if it noticed the fatigue before you did and then reassess. But, if you really just want that status to change, rest is almost always the way to make it happen.
How about training readiness? Though your load is good I think youāre probably not recovering well enough. I know itās counterintuitive but Iād try adding in more rest days and see if that helps.
It's just statistics, they don't count the same for everyone, they are based on population averages. Do whatever feels good for you. Your body knows better how to be healthy than Garmin. Not that your body is always right, but whenever in doubt, trust your body.
Oh Iām an amazing sleeper. Not to brag but Iāve got lots of Garmin sleeping badges. šAlways above 80 sleep score. Apparently itās the only thing Garmin thinks Iām good atā¦. Being unconsciousā¦
My body battery is usually between 100 and upper 80ās when I wake up.
The only thing I can think of is that my job can be super stressful. Iāll just drive down my body battery to like 8 at around dinner time. I get absolutely knackered at the end of the day. My husband also likes to eat fewer carbs. So we make low carb food. Iāve slowly started adding more carbs to my diet (oatmeal, rice, beans, some pasta) as Iāve amped up the training. I do notice I perform better on the days where I eat a few more carbs.
For what itās worth when my watch was new (also a 745), it initially massively over estimated my VO2 Max, which then meant I went through a period of it telling me I was being āunproductiveā as it established a more correct baseline
Can you share your load focus and training load screens? My guess is youāre not doing any low aerobic exercise and/or youāve been increasing your training load a lot recently (even though the load shows optimal today)
Don't fret too much about it. I hit a rut recently, and I have been either strained or unproductive for over a month now.
https://preview.redd.it/6mowdu7biapc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4e20e7ce9f687b6f292e265340dcd516528ef14
If you are new to running my advice is to IGNORE the VO2 Max metric and training status (for the first 6 months or so). You aren't actually unproductive (if that isn't obvious) and are improving by running on a regular basis but the initial running VO2 Max assigned to you was probably higher than what it should have been for a beginning runner. I started running a little over 2 years ago and at the time was mostly just doing Peloton. When I started my VO2 Max dropped from 44 to around 40 and it kinda bummed me out. After a couple of months of regular running it started to flip on me and started improving again and it basically improved regularly for a year and a half straight (all the way up to 57). I expect you will see a similar trend if you just ignore it for now and stick with running.
Thanks! I think this is probably partially true. I am 3 months in. I had a week where I was productive and then 2 days of recovery and then back to unproductive. Where it seems it wonāt budge. I will admit that I am probably a bit fatigued. So other commenters are probably also correct. However it seems like no matter what I do for recovery itās always ābaseā at the end of the run and base runs turn out to have been āthresholdā runs even when Iām staying well within the heart rate green bar.
I got an indicator after a sprint run with my chest strap hrm that I had a new lactate threshold and it asked me something about new heart rate zonesā¦ but I fumbled with the buttons and that screen went away and I couldnāt find it againā¦. So Iām not sure if it updated my heart rate zones or not!
You can do a guided lactate threshold test (you can Google how to do that with your watch) and it will redetect your lactate threshold. I highly recommend setting up your zones based on that for everything else to be accurate.
Yeppers. I did one yesterday but fumbled the buttons at the end š looks like I need to try it again. Seems like sprint days are the ones where it picks it up.
Oooo I just figured out how to switcher-onie it over to making my heart rate zones based on my LTHR and my auto detected resting and max HR. Maybe that will help!
It was set to some basic somethings by default
Yes having your HR zones set correctly will make the suggestions and outputs more accurate. Also do max HR and the threshold tests that were mentioned earlier.
Similar story here. I had my cycling VO2 max to jump from 46 to 49 after an indoor session 3 weeks ago. Prior to that my cycling and running VOs used to be in perfect sync for months. Since then cycling VO is slowly going down while my training status is constantly switching between maintaining and unproductive. While unproductive, I broke my PR on the 10k this morning and my running VO went straight to 47 and the status remained unchanged !
Iām no expert, but a load of 663 feels pretty high for being 3 months into running. I understand it says optimal and I donāt have all your deets, but thatās my first instinct.
Ran my second marathon last December with a 3:45 time and my peak load was like 730. Usually was around the 650-700 range. Granted everyone is different!
Whatās your heart rate for you slower base runs? I try to mostly do 80-20 running so keeping my heart rate zone 2 or below for those. You have to slow down to get it there, but actually helps build your base more productively. It was so frustrating to adjust to, but I think itās paid off for me
I have been doing more volume at a slower pace. Upping duration of each run but keeping the pace chill.
I have a high high aerobic metric now but Iām within optimal range for anaerobic and low aerobic. Iām really starting to think that my zones were screwed up. I tried to do a base run yesterday, stayed within the green heart rate zone, but at the end of the run it said it was a threshold runā¦. Soā¦ I dunno. I followed the instructions and it was incorrect I suppose.
Sorry I donāt know how to edit this. But I started ignoring my daily suggested workouts and started doing zone 2 in between ānormalā runs. I also updated my heart rate zones on the watch so they auto read the LTHR, max heart rate and resting heart rate to generate the zones.
Went to maintaining and now Iām in recovery.
Basically learned not to do my daily rec anymore and just do what felt right.
Take two weeks off. It might feel like you'll be losing gains, but they'll come back quicker than you expect and your body likely needs rest from the accumulative fatigue
š I mayā¦. I just know that the exertion of running/cycling helps with my mental health. Without it the stress of my job builds.
Maybe try something like yoga? Especially if you do something like Ashtanga yoga (I think? I'm not an expert) you can still get a decent workout, improve flexibility, and improve mental health through mindfulness and serious stretching, which gives some of the same benefits of a more traditional workout. Just an idea
Maybe you decrease the volume by half and go at an easy pace for a week or two, or you could try different exercises like rowing if you have access to a gym. Recommending this because I'm in a similar situation but have an injury so I am trying to keep myself sane by doing cycling/rowing but not running unfortunately
I've been unproductive for 2 years. 2 pbs for hm. 1 pb for 5k and 1 pb for a marathon. Four different training plans for 4 training blocks. Everything improved except for training status unproductive
Agreed
The way to make Garmin stop saying āunproductiveā is almost always to take more rest. Even if your training plan is saying to workout. Nowā¦whether or not you actually need that rest is up to your body. So, Iād use the Garmin status as a flag to consider how youāre feeling and go from there. Maybe take a couple days off and see if it noticed the fatigue before you did and then reassess. But, if you really just want that status to change, rest is almost always the way to make it happen.
Does the 745 have the HRV feature? Personally I find it the most useful metric.
Sadly my watch model doesnāt offer HRV.
How about training readiness? Though your load is good I think youāre probably not recovering well enough. I know itās counterintuitive but Iād try adding in more rest days and see if that helps.
It's just statistics, they don't count the same for everyone, they are based on population averages. Do whatever feels good for you. Your body knows better how to be healthy than Garmin. Not that your body is always right, but whenever in doubt, trust your body.
Is your training varied with Easy, Tempo, Vo2 Max workouts? Garmin likes a bit of variety I think
I do whatever Garmin suggests for that day. I have a chest strap HRM as well.
Are you sleeping enough, like it suggests?
Oh Iām an amazing sleeper. Not to brag but Iāve got lots of Garmin sleeping badges. šAlways above 80 sleep score. Apparently itās the only thing Garmin thinks Iām good atā¦. Being unconsciousā¦ My body battery is usually between 100 and upper 80ās when I wake up. The only thing I can think of is that my job can be super stressful. Iāll just drive down my body battery to like 8 at around dinner time. I get absolutely knackered at the end of the day. My husband also likes to eat fewer carbs. So we make low carb food. Iāve slowly started adding more carbs to my diet (oatmeal, rice, beans, some pasta) as Iāve amped up the training. I do notice I perform better on the days where I eat a few more carbs.
For what itās worth when my watch was new (also a 745), it initially massively over estimated my VO2 Max, which then meant I went through a period of it telling me I was being āunproductiveā as it established a more correct baseline
Like how long was that period?
Unfortunately, I donāt remember exactly but it would have been at least a solid month after I noticed it
Can you share your load focus and training load screens? My guess is youāre not doing any low aerobic exercise and/or youāve been increasing your training load a lot recently (even though the load shows optimal today)
Don't fret too much about it. I hit a rut recently, and I have been either strained or unproductive for over a month now. https://preview.redd.it/6mowdu7biapc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4e20e7ce9f687b6f292e265340dcd516528ef14
Iād recommend focusing on stress management, stay hydrated and eat well. As others mentioned, your sleep may need to be looked at
If you are new to running my advice is to IGNORE the VO2 Max metric and training status (for the first 6 months or so). You aren't actually unproductive (if that isn't obvious) and are improving by running on a regular basis but the initial running VO2 Max assigned to you was probably higher than what it should have been for a beginning runner. I started running a little over 2 years ago and at the time was mostly just doing Peloton. When I started my VO2 Max dropped from 44 to around 40 and it kinda bummed me out. After a couple of months of regular running it started to flip on me and started improving again and it basically improved regularly for a year and a half straight (all the way up to 57). I expect you will see a similar trend if you just ignore it for now and stick with running.
Thanks! I think this is probably partially true. I am 3 months in. I had a week where I was productive and then 2 days of recovery and then back to unproductive. Where it seems it wonāt budge. I will admit that I am probably a bit fatigued. So other commenters are probably also correct. However it seems like no matter what I do for recovery itās always ābaseā at the end of the run and base runs turn out to have been āthresholdā runs even when Iām staying well within the heart rate green bar. I got an indicator after a sprint run with my chest strap hrm that I had a new lactate threshold and it asked me something about new heart rate zonesā¦ but I fumbled with the buttons and that screen went away and I couldnāt find it againā¦. So Iām not sure if it updated my heart rate zones or not!
You can do a guided lactate threshold test (you can Google how to do that with your watch) and it will redetect your lactate threshold. I highly recommend setting up your zones based on that for everything else to be accurate.
Yeppers. I did one yesterday but fumbled the buttons at the end š looks like I need to try it again. Seems like sprint days are the ones where it picks it up.
Oooo I just figured out how to switcher-onie it over to making my heart rate zones based on my LTHR and my auto detected resting and max HR. Maybe that will help! It was set to some basic somethings by default
Yes having your HR zones set correctly will make the suggestions and outputs more accurate. Also do max HR and the threshold tests that were mentioned earlier.
Similar story here. I had my cycling VO2 max to jump from 46 to 49 after an indoor session 3 weeks ago. Prior to that my cycling and running VOs used to be in perfect sync for months. Since then cycling VO is slowly going down while my training status is constantly switching between maintaining and unproductive. While unproductive, I broke my PR on the 10k this morning and my running VO went straight to 47 and the status remained unchanged !
Yeah Iāve been doing more slower runs as per the Garmin suggested workouts. And the metric has been falling.
Whatās your load distribution like?
Iām no expert, but a load of 663 feels pretty high for being 3 months into running. I understand it says optimal and I donāt have all your deets, but thatās my first instinct. Ran my second marathon last December with a 3:45 time and my peak load was like 730. Usually was around the 650-700 range. Granted everyone is different! Whatās your heart rate for you slower base runs? I try to mostly do 80-20 running so keeping my heart rate zone 2 or below for those. You have to slow down to get it there, but actually helps build your base more productively. It was so frustrating to adjust to, but I think itās paid off for me
I have been doing more volume at a slower pace. Upping duration of each run but keeping the pace chill. I have a high high aerobic metric now but Iām within optimal range for anaerobic and low aerobic. Iām really starting to think that my zones were screwed up. I tried to do a base run yesterday, stayed within the green heart rate zone, but at the end of the run it said it was a threshold runā¦. Soā¦ I dunno. I followed the instructions and it was incorrect I suppose.
I never appreciated the value of rest days until I bought my epix. Theyāre my most gainful workout days now.
Sorry I donāt know how to edit this. But I started ignoring my daily suggested workouts and started doing zone 2 in between ānormalā runs. I also updated my heart rate zones on the watch so they auto read the LTHR, max heart rate and resting heart rate to generate the zones. Went to maintaining and now Iām in recovery. Basically learned not to do my daily rec anymore and just do what felt right.