Episode 35: Overtrained or Just Under-recovered? The Difference That Could Save Next Season

Overtraining syndrome is rare, serious, and can end your endurance career if you're not careful. In this episode, we break down the differences between functional overreaching (proper training), non-functional overreaching (under-recovery), and true overtraining syndrome (OTS, and again, it's really rare!). You'll learn the warning signs that separate temporary fatigue from something far more concerning, plus we walk through actual case studies of athletes who took years to recover from OTS. We cover the psychological patterns that lead to overtraining, a return-to-training protocol that can get you back on the right track safely, and why consistency beats intensity every single time. If you're training hard right now or coaching athletes through big training blocks, this episode is the reality check you need before it's too late, for you or for your athletes! #triathlon #overtraining #endurancetraining

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Return to Training Protocol

• Profile of Mood States Questionnaire

• Progressive Overload episode (for understanding proper training)

• Cody Beals burnout episode (previous episode referenced)

• 2026 Coaching spots

• Bend Camp

• Kreher Studies:

  • Kreher JB & Schwartz JB (2012). "Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide" – Sports Health, 4(2):128-138

    • Full-text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3435910/

  • Kreher JB et al. (2025). "Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) in Three Endurance Athletes and Roads to Recovery" – BMJ Case Reports, 18(7):e265066

    • Full-text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12258013/

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/fe77a/bright-ideas
License code: JTATK7ILXBEATYUM