Embracing Rest

This week is somewhat of a rest week for me. I still have daily workouts, the intensity and duration are just cut back some. I feel like I have been increasing  my workload every week since I started training so this bit of rest was a welcome change. Well I thought it would be a nice change. Instead I have been anxious about not putting in enough work. I spent the first few days of the week trying to sneak in extra workouts. I figured as long as they were short and easy there wouldn't be any harm. Luckily midterm week prevented me from doing much of anything else other than study.

Legs up, compression sleeves on. Feels so good.

Last night something clicked for me. I have 6.5 weeks until race day, which means I probably will not have anymore rest weeks until its time to taper. Those last six weeks of training need to be my hardest. I know things will be ramping up so it would be wise of me to take my rest while I can.

In my attempt to fully embrace rest I skipped my evening class yesterday in favor of a nap. I have been doing much better with doing morning workouts but I haven't been very good about getting to sleep earlier. I try to go to bed earlier but I just lay awake, unable to sleep. The time change over the weekend didn't help. So when I could barely keep my eyes open before class yesterday I opted to go back home and get some much needed shut-eye.

Where you can find me at 7:45 in the morning

I was planning on spending all last night getting ahead on homework and apartment things before heading home for spring break next week. Instead, after my nap, I relaxed all night. I caught up on some TV shows and started reading a new book while sipping a hot mug of tea. I ate foods I wouldn't normally eat and enjoyed being done with midterms.

For the next few days I am going to continue to embrace rest. Today is my longest day of classes. I don't have class on Friday's so I like taking that opportunity to do my long runs before the weekend. My boyfriend is doing his first bike race early Saturday morning, which I am beyond excited about. I want the day to be about him and not have to worry about when I can squeeze in a workout.

Bring on the rest!

Recovering Right

When I was first starting half marathon training I layed out how I was going to achieve my sub 2:00 goal based on the things that I have neglected in the past. There were quite a few things that could use improvement and most of them had something to do with recovery. Even though I know I should, I have been really struggling get in much stretching, foam rolling, Nuun-ing, etc. I have been experiencing this nagging ache in my left thigh ever since I went skiing a few weeks ago. It isn't anything to be worried about but it is a bit annoying. I had a minor panic attack about it but have since realized that my leg is actually not going to fall off. Shocking, I know. But this little freak out reminded me that I need to pay more attention to how I am recovering after my runs. So I decided that instead of giving up something for Lent I would commit to recovering right. How you might ask, well let me tell you!

Stretching & Foam Rolling

I always forget to stretch, and foam roll, until something starts bothering me and this training cycle is no exception. Luckily nothing hurts enough that it is a problem but it's a good reminder that it is never too late to add in some stretching and foam rolling to your weekly training. Since I finish a lot of my runs at school and then have class for a few hours afterwards I often don't get much, or any, stretching in afterwards. Just because I don't have room to sprawl out and do a bunch of elaborate yoga stretches doesn't mean I can't squeeze in a few simple stretches after each workout. Even a little bit of stretching will go a long way. Then on the weekends when I have more time I am planning on doing a 15-30 minute stretching and foam rolling session after my long runs to really get to my muscles properly.

Compression Socks

I have two pairs of Pro Compression socks but I don't wear them nearly enough. Like with stretching and foam rolling I normally only wear them when I actually need them rather than for their everyday recovery properties. When I run on harder surfaces such as concrete and pavement more frequently my calves and shins get very cranky and with the weather lately I haven't been able to really hit the trails which means I've only been running on the road. I think my legs are actually getting used to the additional pounding but there are still some days where my shins hurt to touch. Just wearing my compression socks for a few hours makes a huge difference. Since the weather is colder and it is still boot season I will wear my socks under my boots as a way to wear my socks but not look like a total loser. Just a partial one.

Hydrating Properly

For as long as I can remember people have been telling me I need to drink more. I'm not sure why but I don't get thirsty very often. There have been days (more than I'd like to admit) where I had nothing to drink the entire day. The ironic part is that I get extremely thirsty when running and drink way more than normal. And to add to it I lose a lot of salt when I sweat and often end up dizzy after long workouts in the heat. I have been working on drinking enough in general for years now and will probably always have to work on this but I have been slacking off now that the temps are colder and I feel even less thirsty. To get back on track I plan on carrying a water bottle with me everywhere. Just by having it with me I will end up drinking more water. I'm going to start using my Nuun tablets more often so that even if I am drinking less what I am drinking is better quality.

Any tips? I could use all the advice I can get!

Post Marathon Recovery & Update

I still can't believe I ran my first marathon last weekend. It seems like so long ago, yet so close at the same time. 2012 has been a really big year for me and I made a lot of progress in my running and training. I have spent the majority of the year training for something and haven't really had a break. Not only did I need a physical break from training to recover from running 26.2 miles but I also needed a mental break. Balancing school with training is always hard for me because I feel guilty going for a run when I have a test the next day. I feel I should be studying even though the break will probably help me in the long run.

So for now I am enjoying not doing anything. I took off the entire week from all exercise more for my mental health than anything else. I really enjoyed the extra time to clean up my apartment and focus more on my schoolwork. It was a much needed stress-free week for me. By Friday I started to get a little stir crazy and wanted to do something active but I restrained so I could completely focus on resting and relaxing. I don't want to feel forced into working out again. My goal is to be anxious and excited to exercise with no pressure.

Even though I haven't tested my legs out on the roads yet they are feeling pretty good. My whole body was pretty sore Monday and I was waddling instead of walking but there wasn't much actual pain. By Tuesday I was pretty much back to normal, only more tired than usual. Besides my total body soreness Sunday & Monday only my calves were really sore Tuesday & Wednesday.

Not working out all this week also allowed me to catch up on sleep. I was in bed by 10:30 Monday through Thursday instead of my usual 12:30 bedtime. I had a lot of trouble sleeping Sunday night because I was so achy but the rest of the week has been glorious. I was amazed at how tired I was the entire week.

This next week I will start easing back into exercise but will only do what I want. I want to enjoy the off-season and start my next training cycle feeling rejuvenated and rested. I am running a 5K on Thursday and will hopefully run once before that to loosen my legs out before the race. 

Doing the Little Things Right

Ever since I was about ten years old I have always been told by my swim coaches to "do the little things right." This saying always drove me crazy but lately it has been my personal mantra. I have been super swamped with schoolwork this week and haven't had much to do anything other then sleep, eat, train, and study. Normally when I am this busy my nutrition suffers along with all of the other things that enable my body to train the way it should. Since my first triathlon is a week and a half away I am being extra careful to take care of my body though.

Eating clean.
I have a tendency to just grab whatever is the quickest and easiest, which in turn is often not the healthiest. This past week though I have been making an effort to eat lots of fruits and veggies and monitor my intake of macronutrients. I have also been making sure I am not eating too many calories. In just this past week I have lost 2-3 pounds and I feel much better. I just feel healthier.

Drinking lots of water.
I rarely drink as much water as I should be. Due to a medical condition I have I am often cold and do not want to drink anything that will make me even colder. And because I am infrequently hot I am infrequently thirsty. I have been drinking a large glass of water before every meal and often have another glass with my meal in order to ensure that I am properly hydrated.

Compression.
With coming home from college and packing all of my stuff up I forgot that I had a pair of compression sleeves. I busted them out after Tuesday's run and could feel a huge difference after I took them off. I recently read a great article about recovery methods and when to use them. The article said compression gear is best worn immediately after a hard workout so that is what I did.

Ice.
After a hard track workout on Wednesday I took the plunge (pun intended) and suffered through my first ice bath. I only submerged my calves and shins so it was a wimpy ice bath but it still did the trick. There was a serious reduction of swelling and my legs felt invigorated afterwards.

Sleep.
I am not one of those people who can survive on only a few hours of sleep. I rarely get less than eight hours a night and most nights I am getting 9-10 hours. This may not work for everyone but lots of sleep has helped keep me rested both physically and mentally. And naps are an even better way to recover between two-a-days.

Yoga.
I started going to yoga last week and already I have seen a huge improvement in my flexibility. The looming tightness in my legs after running is no longer there and my IT bands feel better than ever. My legs feel lighter too. I'm not sure how this relates but every time after I leave yoga the heavy feeling in my legs is gone.

A Necessary Recovery Week

I have been trying to be flexible with my training this cycle so that I don't feel any pressure and don't get stressed out about not being able to do a certain workout on a particular day. What I did make sure to schedule was recovery weeks. When I was a swimmer I was always the one to get injured so I am trying to be proactive and prevent any potential injuries.

I was planning on taking a recovery week next week since I have started off pretty slowly with training. I would normally do three hard weeks followed by a recovery week but week two of training hard pretty low volume so I figured I could get away with pushing the recovery week back.

When I got back to school on Sunday night I discovered that my hip flexors were pretty sore. They were only sore to touch though, so I iced them for a little and didn't think about them again. Then on Wednesday as I was walking down the stairs after class I was having this weird pain in my left leg. It felt like a joint was inflamed or something. I'm still not sure what it was but it was pretty darn uncomfortable.

I decided to take an unplanned rest day on Wednesday since I didn't want to do anything to further aggravate my leg. I was surprisingly tired and went to bed at 10, much earlier than my normal 12-1 bedtime. On Thursday when I was thinking about my workout for the day I just especially lacking motivation. It wasn't my normal I-would-rather-sit-on the-couch-than-workout. It was more of an I-need-a-break-before-I-have-a-mental-breakdown-and-quit-school feeling.

Then I realized that my body was craving a rest week. The thought of a rest week excited me so much that I knew it was for the best. And after two full days of rest I am now itching to get back out there for a workout.

In past training I was stuck in vicious cycles of not sticking to the plan, getting burnt out, taking a few days off to rest, feeling guilty for taking rest days, and consequentially not taking any rest weeks so that I could try to make up my missed workouts.

At the beginning of the week I ignored my small aches and pains and lack of motivation and tried to power through. But I'm glad that I listened to my body and took a necessary rest week so I can go into the next training segment with enthusiasm and ready to tackle my upcoming workouts.

Proper Race Recovery

I am still on a runner's high from Saturday's half marathon and I have been itching to get outside for a run all week. But I know that is not a smart idea just yet. I pushed myself hard on Saturday and my body could definitely feel it on Sunday. The last thing I want is to get injured because I jumped back into running too quickly. Even though I am no longer sore I know that my body needs more time to recover. Because I do not do well unless I outline my plan for things, I put together a recovery plan to get me ready for my next training cycle healthy and happy.

1. At least five days of no running. Even though I want to run, there is really no need for me to run just yet. After my first half marathon I only took three days off and as a result dealt with IT Band pain for almost two months. Originally I was planning to take an entire week off from running but since I am home for spring break I can run on the trail here which is both flat and soft.

2. Indulge a little, but eat a healthy diet. I definitely ate whatever I wanted Saturday through Monday. I was constantly hungry and just wanted junk food. Since this week requires no training I think it okay to indulge a little more than normal. But at the same time, eating healthy foods will help my body recover better because it is being fueled properly. This week is all about balance and moderation.

3. Active recovery. Since my legs weren't too sore I started taking 2-3 mile walks on Monday. It feels really nice to loosen up the legs without any impact or requiring any effort from them. I am also planning on hitting the recumbent bike that is at my house for some easy biking. I really love using the recumbent bike and I know my legs will appreciate being able to do something this week.

4. Stretch and foam roll often. I have kind of become obsessed with my foam roller lately. I love the hurts so good feeling and my body feels amazing afterwards. The only thing that is still tight is my hips and I know that some quality TLC with the foam roller will take care of that. I have also been looking up some different stretches online to make sure that my body is being fully stretched. The biggest thing for me is to make sure that I don't get injured.

5. Ice. It may not be as helpful now but icing really helps my legs recover from tough runs, especially my knees. My muscles aren't really sore anymore but my knees always appreciate a nice ice session. My hips and IT Bands could always benefit from some ice too.

6. Sleep, sleep, sleep. Since this is my spring break I don't have to get up early and can sleep in as late as I want. I am taking full advantage of this and catching up on all of the sleep that I lost due to studying. I don't know the science behind it but sleeping really helps the body recover also, so win win situation.

7. Hydrate. This goes along with eating well. Staying hydrated helps the body do its job by fueling it. A dehydrated body is more tired and unable to do all of the things that it needs to to recover from a tough race. Additionally, it is important to rehydrate after sweating out so much fluid during the race.