I am constantly preaching to the athletes I coach about recovery. The harder I push them in training, the more crucial recovery becomes.
While the training and the running are crucial, if you can’t get recovered, it can become easy to lose motivation. Recovery can quickly take a back seat to a hectic lifestyle. Often times, it’s a victory just to get out the door and get the run in!
Below are some tips that can kick start recovery that won’t take extra time out of your day.
- Consume calories as soon as you can after a run or a workout. Research shows that for optimum recovery, your body craves calories ASAP in order to begin repairing muscles and replacing energy. Half a peanut butter sandwich, a hand full of almonds and a 16 oz of Gatorade, or even chocolate milk work well.
- Hydrate! Carry a water bottle around with you throughout the day and try to drink at least 64-72 oz a day. Water can help eliminate waste, carry food throughout the body, and nourish cells! Begin this process ASAP after your run.
- Rest is the biggest performance enhancer there is. Although sleeping 8-9 hours nightly would be ideal, often times, busy women aren’t able to make that work. If possible, find time during the day to lie down, even if it’s only for 15-20 min, to allow the recovery to take place. This could be reading time for the kids, a lunch break in your office, or when the kids are napping!
The most important thing to remember when it comes to recovery is listening to your body. If you’re feeling extra tired or rundown after a hard run, take the next run easy or schedule an off day so that you can get back to the hard work as soon as possible!
