Training and racing can feel complicated at times, but recovery doesn’t need to be. If you nail the basics when it comes to recovery, you can stay healthy, energized, and get the most from your running.
While many of us labor over the intricate details of workouts and training plans, we often neglect another essential component of our training: recovery. Recovery is the time where the magic happens – rest and good nutrition enable your body to rebuild and get stronger in response to hard training efforts.
Technological innovations have inundated us with a zillion ways to “enhance” and measure our recovery efforts, but it rarely needs to be this complicated. Before you spend time and money on recovery products or technology, make sure that you are nailing the basics first.
This week’s podcast episode features a succinct discussion on the most important elements of recovery. They may seem simple, but most of us fall short on one or more of these parameters.
Learn Recovery from the Pro’s!
When you are considering the best practices to apply to your running, it always helps to look to the elites. While you should not try to replicate their intense workouts or ultra high mileage exactly, their training provides insight into ways we can structure our own training. The same is true for how they handle recovery.
Elite runners (and elite athletes in general) take recovery very seriously. They know their bodies can’t operate at their best when they are sleep deprived or trying to juggle stress from a variety of sources. Marathoner Eliud Kipchoge is reported to sleep about 10 hours each day, including an afternoon nap. Getting more sleep is one of the best things you can do for your running as well as your overall health!
In this podcast I focus on the essentials of recovery, and how to use them in a practical way that can benefit your training immediately. I’ll dig deeper into each of the following:
- Why stress is stress is stress, whether it’s running, work, or your personal life.
- Like recovery, nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. But DO make sure you are getting enough calories to recover properly from long runs and workouts.
- Everyone needs time off – plan your recovery breaks and down time so you can continue to enjoy your running for the long haul.
- Sleep! No matter how little sleep you think you can handle, you’re probably wrong. Use good sleep hygiene to get more.
- Proper training is the cornerstone of proper recovery. You need to push your body enough to stimulate growth, but not so much that you can’t recover. Improper training can lead to injury and burnout.
Enjoy this week’s episode and try to get some extra Zzzs!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.
Links & Resources from the Show:
- Check out recovery strategies from the pros
- More reading on body care, mobility and recovery
- To complement recovery strategies, learn more about injury prevention here
Thank You InsideTracker!
This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training.
Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes.
I’ve personally gotten three Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet. Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology.
If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, get 25% off any of their blood tests with code STRENGTHRUNNING at InsideTracker.
Thank you, Therabody!
If you want sound recovery, a big part of that is circulation. One of the reasons why massage feels so good after a hard effort is because of circulation: it brings fresh, oxygenated blood to your legs. The RecoveryAir by Therabody does that without needing someone to give you a massage. Plus, you can do it on the couch while you watch Netflix.
What I love about the RecoveryAir Jetboots is that the pressure travels from your feet up to your heart and this graduated approach is more effective. The compression goes beyond your normal blood pressure while also monitoring it to prevent over-constriction. My personal preference is to use the boots the day after a hard day so I’m not giving my legs more than they can handle.
Sit back, relax and recover. Go to Therabody.com/Jason to get your Therabody RecoveryAir today!
