Conditions for (Personal) Success: #2 Your Recovery

This is the second installment of a three-part series targeting athletes who are looking for that edge, that particular short cut or hint that will enable them to take their race day performance to the next level. The first installment (#1 - Your Schedule) was posted on 8/22, and the third installment (#3 - Your Execution) will be posted soon.

So, now that you've got your schedule in order, it's time to talk about that critical element of your training....the one that always comes last...and no, I'm not talking about track workouts! Your recovery is one of the most important aspects of your training. Just because it comes after your workouts doesn't mean that it's second-rate. On the contrary, without quality recovery, your next workout will suffer...leading to a cycle of overworking and not enough rest.

But wait, you're probably a bit confused by the image for this post...what the hell is a volcano doing over there??? Actually, it's probably more appropriate than you think...this is the visual representation of what happens when, week in and week out, you chip away at your overall health until one day, like a malconceived sixth-grade science experiment, you explode!

KA-BLOOM!!! In a flash, your race-day hopes are dashed. Well, it doesn't have to be that way...and instead of finding this out after the fact, here are some key things you can do NOW to make sure that you avoid meltdown before race day.

Recovery During The Week
This goes back to your scheduling skills...so be sure to have that schedule handy!

As athletes build their week, most are preoccupied with how much working out they can cram into a seven-day schedule. There is a smaller percentage of atheletes who allow for monthly recovery...usually following the concepts of periodization: three weeks of recovery and one week easy (but typically not easy enough). I encourage self-coached athletes to think on an even smaller scale--the week.

Base Training: For athletes stacking up the miles in this endurance phase, recovery can take several forms. The Recovery Workout is either a spin or a swim workout, no more than an hour in duration, typically in Zone 1. Athletes can take this time to work on technique, using most of the time to do drilles. Flexibility Sessions are also incredibly useful at this time...I prefer a modified home yoga routine (some of those classes are killer workouts!), but whatever you choose, make sure it is (A) relaxing and (B) targets your "trouble" areas. Days Off should be used sparingly in the Base Training Phase...if you are monitoring your effort well, you won't have to take more than one every 10 or 14 days. They should be more mental breaks than physical rest periods.

Build Training: During the criticial build phase, recovery is even more important. Unless you are an experienced athlete (3+ years), I recommend one (1) full day off per week...massage, yoga and light stretching are all okay. Other Points: (A) The build phase "week" should be dominated by several key workouts, with the rest being filler. (B) DO NOT stack key workouts back to back (i.e., Tuesday and Wednesday)...there is more than enough time in the week to split these select workouts apart. (C) YES, this includes a Sat long bike and Sunday long run...unless you have no other time to do them. I personally prefer to do my harder long runs mid-week, with my easier long runs on Sundays (midday).

Daily Recovery
There are things you can do every day that will promote your recovery....don't miss out!
On a more immediate basis, daily recovery is the most tangible part of the process...it's where you are "now" and what you can do about it. If you are even remotely mindful of your body, you have the opportunity to improve your recovery.

• Get 8hrs of Sleep a Night. It's literally unbelievable what several 8 hour nights can do for our bodies. This sleep schedule should only be compromised by training in the most extreme cases.
• Eat Recovery Meals. I reserve this for workouts that are 2+ hours in length or seriously hard core work. Either way, pushing your body out of it's comfort zones places a strong demand for protein, carbs, minerals, etc. Have a recovery meal plan in place before you head out the door. No point in exercising for 1.5 hours if you are going to have fries and a pulled pork sandwhich afterwards! (ugh!)
• Stay Hydrated. So easy to do, but so often not done (why is that???). Most folks fill up on coffee and soda and anything else they can find while in the office...and then wonder while they feel like crap for the second workout of the day. 8 glasses of water (or gatorade, etc) per day is a minimum if you are serious about your training. Enough said.
  

It's Not Rocket Science...
but it makes a difference. Take a minute to plan your recovery as well as you plan your workouts, and you will be AMAZED at the difference. Sometimes, it's not about the bike...it's what you do when you're off the bike...

Stay tuned for part III: Execution....

~Patrick