How Quickly Do Runners Lose Fitness? Analyzing Breaks from Training

[@riksstaden4927]

I love studies! Remember to take tapers into account. Running less right before a race can make you preform better.

[@Don_Catan]

With tapering - run less, but MAINTAIN intensity.

[@NancyCalvin-zt1mw]

Thank you. Very well communicated.

[@MaxMustermann-zp5xy]

A 6% loss after two weeks is significant and you have to add the time you need to catch up. Let's say you need 3 weeks to come back to your previous level, that means you actually lost 5 weeks of training.

[@lowzyyy]

One month of injury/sickness bring me 4-6 months back

[@Dreamlink91]

Week off regardless of reason always takes me 2 to 3 easier training days from the pre-week off performance.

[@Tritiuminducedfusion]

And I'm out here worrying about 5 days lost with a calf strain. 😆😂🤣 Although, I cross trained... stationary bike sucks, it's infinitely harder to keep my hr up to match running, had to jack the resistance up.

[@mrdavester]

I am a 20 min 5k runner right now. I take winters off, and there's no way that I drop to 25 min plus 5k.

[@riksstaden4927]

So you are saying that you run equally fast regardless of if you train or not?

[@mrdavester]

@@riksstaden4927 of course not

[@mrdavester]

@@riksstaden4927 it takes an incredible amount of training to be able to hold a fast pace. But a 25 min 5k is a joke to me now. I may lose a couple of mins tops off my 5k time taking winters off, but I doubt it would even be that much.

[@theevildead96]

@@mrdavester do still maintain activity though? Do you do other sports in the winter?

[@mrdavester]

@theevildead96 i lifted weights for 3 months last winter.. but i hadn't for the entire pandemic previously. Either way, no cardio.. I hate winter.

[@markyoung5635]

thank you, comforting to know when you have a niggle

[@luisfer14240]

👍🏻

[@harriejanssen5428]

I am 72 jears old my vo2max is almost 50, last week it was 49,9. But 20 min on 10k, no way that is not going to happen. I am happy with 25 min or maybe 24, I have to try it. My fastest 10k was 23 min a few years ago. I never made it in 20min. My fastest half marathon was 1.40 with 57 years and my fastest marathon was 3.50 with 59 years.

[@pck1166]

You mean 5km in 23min?😏

[@bikox4352]

Your age does not count as a reference for the competition times she talks here. The competition times apply to men under 40 years of age.

[@MrHaggyy]

VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen your lungs can extract from the air in mili liter. This number varies a lot with your body, fitness, health and even the weather. If the air is cold and dry you get more oxygen. If it's hotter and wetter your lungs need to work through more air to get the same amount of oxygen. You also can't really measure it without collecting your exhaust air. All those weareables only guess a value. And even if you measure it you don't know how efficient your body is in using that oxygen for running. A experienced runner doesn't need to work his lungs as hard to keep a pace. Just keep your joy in running. And if you want to do something for your VO2max run intervals. Anything between 15-20min of fast running with an incomplete rest is perfect. Those times are really impressive. I jet have to run a sub 2h HM.

[@k3m0t19]

world record is 26 minutes you saying at age 72 you are better than top athletes?

[@foggs]

Taking 2 weeks off feels like I've lost 2 years of training

[@cindyscott8470]

NO!!!!! the question is 'how quickly can they get their fitness back'! Every injured runner knows very well how easy it is to decline.

[@willyengland]

It's basically the same: Two weeks down = two weeks up. What I personally find more problematic with a break is the psychological effect. My brain needs the activity and when I cannot do anything, this affects my mood in a negative way.

[@rgdressler2046]

I.e. nothing dramatic