“ make running a part of your lifestyle one mile at a time ”

Recovery and Regeneration

While many consider running to be corporal punishment, faithful devotees to the sport consider it to be a form of relaxation, rejuvenation, and even a spiritual and meditative practice.

Perhaps, it is the post-run-endorphin-buzz that transports our consciousness to the Land of Oz that keeps us coming back for more. Regardless of the fuel that fires your passion, that "buzz" can lead to a craving that consumes our ability to know when to take a step back. And just as quickly as the incineration of a post-race plate of nachos you and your friends chase with a couple of margaritas, you are sidelined by exhaustion and/or injury.

Moderation and balance is the recipe for success and enjoyment in all endeavors. Amidst our journey towards achieving our goals in athletics we must remember that for every high there is a low. Every hard effort needs to be reciprocated with a period of rest and recovery. It is easy to get carried away by the seemingly supernatural sensations brought on by marathon training, but is surpassed only by our denial of the messages that our bodies are whispering to us: CHILL OUT OR ELSE!

The "or else" is the dreaded exhaustion/injury cycle. If we were to have a glimpse inside our bodies and more specifically our muscles post-workout we may see something that resembles the side of the road after an aid station in our favorite race, chaos and destruction. However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It is the contrary. The breaking down becomes a catalyst for reconstruction and improvement. A series of enzymatic and hormonal reactions take place, kind of like the transformation Spiderman underwent when he was bitten by the super-spider...don't we wish?

However, if we stress our bodies to the limit day after day our systems cannot make up for the glycogen deficit and tissue damage that was imposed and improvements in fitness are nil. Remember that "No pain, no gain" theory? I ponder its validity to produce desirable results and cannot say with certainty that it is a worthwhile mantra. It is only until cells are restored, energy reserves replenished, and our physiologic chemistry (hormones) are returned to their preferred functioning status can we evoke another all-out effort. Fortunately, there are several strategies to optimize and expedite system rejuvenation. The four most effective recovery strategies are: sleep, warm-up and cool-down, active recovery workouts, and nutrition.

Sleep

While the amount of time one spends in dreamland is relatively personal, sleep is when our body manufactures and restocks the compulsory inventory our bodies' and immune systems need to operate at our finest! The amount of slumber recommended for an active individual is 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

Warm-Up

The warm-up prepares the body for stress by: dilating capillaries to deliver more O2 to our muscles and raising body/muscle temperature so that contractions can occur with less effort while also making our tissues more elastic, reducing the risk of injury. Exercise lowers the body's pH, creating an acidic environment (i.e. lactate, i.e. BURN!). Cool-downs facilitate the removal of lactic acid by circulating oxygen-enriched blood throughout the muscles.

Active Recovery

Active recovery workouts are typically defined as nonimpact low-intensity aerobic exercise. Research has suggested that low-intensity activity as opposed to complete rest accelerates recovery by providing distribution of nutrient-rich blood and oxygen to the body's tissue while also flushing lactic acid and toxic remnants from the last high-intensity workout session. These workouts should be interjected in your training plan after high-intensity and/or high volume days.

Nutrition

And last but certainly not least, nutrition. Short and sweet, to run an efficient engine you must supply it with clean fuel! However, the engine won't run at all on an empty tank. Our muscles are most thirsty immediately post-workout or race. So, quench them with quality carbohydrates to make up for the glycogen deficit. Medium to high-glycemic index foods are good choices and will enter the bloodstream/muscles quite speedily! Research has also indicated combining carbohydrates with protein in a 4:1 ratio, but again, through experimentation you can find out what works best for you. For info on the glycemic index of your fave foods visit: www.glycemicindex.com

Other effective recovery strategies, not to be underestimated are restorative yoga, massage, and ice baths. I'll save the details on these three topics for another article. Ultimately, every runner needs to listen to their bodies', for they will tell us what it is we need. In the mean-time, sit back and enjoy the "buzz". See you on the roads!