Recovery Essential for Optimal Running Performance

<image above> Recovery is Key to successful running <image above>

Acclaimed coach, author and all-around running expert Steve Magness recently pointed out a little-known fact about how Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute mile. Bannister, an exercise physiologist himself, pushed his body to the limits during training. But in the weeks leading up to his record-breaking attempt, instead of training harder, Bannister backed off from running, taking a much-needed break. In short, he allowed his body to recover, to rest and rebuild. The rest is history of course, as he went on to break the four-minute mile barrier, 71 years ago in 1954.

The lesson here is clear: Best efforts will only occur given adequate recovery. So let’s take a look at the four main pillars that support recovery.

Rest: Like all vigorous exercise, successful running involves a process of breaking down (hard training) and building back up stronger (recovery). The most direct route to recovery is some form of rest, whether building a weekly day off into your training, or “active” recovery, like an easy two-mile jog. The benefits are numerous: minimizing injury risk, avoiding overtraining and better overall race performance.

Hydration: Especially important in Texas, runners must replenish fluids lost during runs. Make a habit of drinking water throughout the day and keep electrolyte-replacement beverages in your fridge to help restore minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium lost through sweating.

Nutrition: Everyone has unique dietary requirements and volumes have been written on what works best. One thing all nutrition experts agree on is to avoid processed foods as much as possible and eat plenty of vegetables along with high-quality protein and monounsaturated fats. If you like your carbs, lean on complex carbohydrates found in foods like beans, lentils, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.

Sleep: A pillar to all health in general, sleep is when the body does it’s rebuilding/repair work. This is when the adaptation to your training takes place. During sleep, human growth hormone increases, allowing for muscle repair and growth. Sleep is also key for maintaining a healthy immune system and reducing stress. Additionally, good sleep habits promote enhanced cognitive function and mental well-being. And as if that weren’t enough, adequate sleep also helps with your heat tolerance when exercising.

So yeah, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to continually train harder when what you really need is to recover better.

Upcoming Races: Monday, May 26 CapTex Triathlon at 7:00 a.m. at Auditorium Shores. Rookie Distance — 300m swim, 12.3 mile bike, 2 mile run; Sprint Distance — 750m swim, 12.3 mile bike and 3.1 mile run; and Olympic Distance — 1500m swim, a 24.3 mile bike and a 6.2 mile run. Lemonade Dash 5K/10K, Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 a.m. at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Maudie’s Moonlight Margarita Run 5K at Auditorium Shores in Austin, 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 5.