Recovery 101

Everyone knows you have to work hard to grow skills in any venture. So how do you get better when you are working as hard as you can but not seeing results? When you are training at your current maximum capacity, then the only way to improve is through the world outside of training. Elite athletes not only train at the highest level, they rest at the highest level. This is what is not always seen or appreciated: rest and training going hand in hand. World-champion triathlon coach Matt Dixon says the key difference between the best and the rest is rest. Anyone can work hard, but it takes real courage to rest, he says.

As athletes, a non-negotiable of success is consistent and progressive training. However, a lot of the success that you will or will not have will be determined by how you spend your non-training hours. As with anything in life- everything is built on top of the basics of being properly fueled (hydration and food) and being well rested (sleep is the #1 legal performance enhancer).

As much as you stress yourself, both physically and mentally with training and life, you have to rest an equal (if not more) amount so that you are able to recover and stress yourself again. What does this rest and recovery look like?

General, Everyday Requirements:

• Properly fueled (food and hydration)
• SLEEP (Sleep is the #1 legal performance enhancer)
• Rest: getting off your feet and reading a book, taking a nap, mental break, etc.
• Running on safe, soft surfaces and using the proper equipment (fit, type, etc.)
• Communicating with your coach about your training and how you are feeling

General Soreness from Training:

• Ice Bath (60ish degree water, sit and soak for 15–20 minutes)
• Roll Out Sore Spots: Roller, Tennis/Lacrosse Ball- How-What-Why of Foam Rolling
• Self-Massage
• Compression: Normatec Boots and/or other Recovery accessories
• Static Stretch
• Active Recovery Exercises
• All the above mentioned General, Everyday Requirements

If a Soreness turns into a Pain

• Talking with Medical Professional
• Rest from training
• All the above mentioned strategies

The more you communicate with your coach, the better chance he/she has to help alleviate any possible injuries from forming.

The takeaways from this:

Eat, Hydrate, Sleep, and Talk with your Coach!

For more on this topic, check my article on The Growth Equation: Stress + Rest + Preparation