Ashleigh after completing her 10K run
For those that don't know I participated in my first running even on Sunday at the Cromwell 10km and Half Marathon, so I thought I would share my recovery habits so you have an idea of what it looks like in the real world!
Rest and Recovery are an important aspect of exercising as it allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself. It’s like it is magically designed to do this, but only if we allow it the time to. More often than not we assume our body is designed to cope with whatever physiological stress we throw at it, whether this is walking, running, lifting weights, stretching, biking or swimming etc. However, if we continue putting the body under such physiological stress without time to recover that is when the body starts to pack it in on us, and when injuries occur.
What happens during the recovery period? The body is allowed to adapt to the stress associated with exercise, replenishes muscle glycogen (energy stores) and repair tissue.
One really important aspect of rest and recovery is sleep!! When we sleep we are actually doing the most healing and repair which is why good quality sleep is important for the body. We should aim for a minimum of 7 hours a night.
Initially post race:
- Lots of water to re hydrate
- Very gentle stretch to release the hip flexors, quads and hamstrings - also great for re-setting the length of the muscle
Later that day:
- a wee snooze to give the body some energy back and to start the healing and repair process
- a dunk in the lake to re-set the circulatory system - also great for cooling down the inflammatory process that happens
- a glass of wine to celebrate the victory ** personally I think this was essential in the recovery process 😃
- Nutritious meat and veg dinner to restore my vitamin and mineral levels
(You can choose to foam roll today as well, however for me this didn't feel right. Go with what feels good for you)
The following day
- Gentle morning yoga stretch
- Foam rolling - upper and lower body
- Gentle walk to get the blood pumping
- Have a chiropractic adjustment booked in soon after the event to address any niggles. This will prevent future injuries occurring and improve your performance for the next event!
- 30 min + Epsom salt bath
Speak to your chiropractor today, if you would like any help with your training and recovery plan or if you are experiencing any injuries that you want to get sorted.
Contact us here; 03 445 4688 or www.cromwellchiropractic.co.nz
Ashleigh x