Why The Finish Line Isn't The End

A well constructed recovery plan
will help you get back to training
safely, effectively, and efficiently.

"The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race."  ~Anonymous

Most training plans are filled will intricate details of distances and pace targets that culminate with an event.  Yet what you do in the seventy-two hours following an event of marathon distance or greater plays a large role in how safely, effectively, and efficiently you are able to return to training.  Endurance athletes tend to have busy race schedules.  It's not unusual for some to have multiple events of marathon distance or greater planned in the same calendar year.  This ambitious race schedule not only places a tremendous emphasis on preparation but also recovery.  Here are the essential elements of a post-event recovery protocol;

Immediate Post-Race
They've hung the medal around your neck, you've visited with family and friends, and now you finally have a chance to sit down.  Take a deep breath.  While the race may be over, the event still has one last critical element to execute...the recovery.  

Once a race has finished the top three immediate recovery priorities are hydration, glycogen replenishment, and tending to minor medical needs.  The most effective way to re-hydrate is with an cold isotonic solution.  The amount is generally commensurate with the length of time and type of environment to which you were exposed.  A good place to start is with 20-24 ounces of this type of fluid.  Be cautious not to over-consume before you've tended to the second priority; glycogen replenishment.  The most effective way to replenishment glycogen following a glycogen-depleting activity is to consume a beverage containing a ratio of carbohydrates and proteins tailored to your individual needs within an hour of the event.  Finally, before you leave the venue make sure to tend to minor medical needs.  Commonly these involve the skin which is not only the largest, but also the most vulnerable, organ of the body and subject to integrity issues (ie. blisters, chaffing, etc).  

Post-Race Evening
Now that you're home and showered there are five things to do before your head hits the pillow for some well earned rest.  

1.)  Respect Food Cravings
Your body has a unique ability to signal which nutrients it needs through food cravings.  This is particularly true following an exhaustive event.  Listen to these cravings and follow their lead.  

2.)  Hydrate
Although it will likely result in you getting up multiple times during the night, continue your hydration plan.  Your objective is to return your urine to a pale yellow color.  It's worth noting, clear urine may be an indication that you have over consumed and potentially have placed yourself in jeopardy of electrolyte disturbances.  Pale yellow is best. 

3.)  Eat A High Performance Meal
Item #1 notwithstanding, the majority of calories consumed should be from healthy proteins and fats.  These nutrients accelerate skeletal muscle repair and assist in the regeneration of key hormones.  As much as possible attempt to limit simple sugars (ie. high fructose corn syrup) as they may contribute to inflammation during a time in which you are attempting to reduce activity-associated inflammation.  

4.)  Boost HGH To Aid Recovery
Consuming a serving of whey protein (mixed with water) within thirty minutes of bed time may enhance human growth hormone (HGH) levels.  HGH may aid in skeletal muscle repair of which you are going to need to do.  

5.)  Get To Bed Early
Although not always practical, it is good practice to get bed an hour earlier than usual.  Physiologic recovery occurs during rest.  Multiple factors may disrupt your sleep pattern following an exhaustive bout of physical activity so it's important to realize that even though you may have a hard time falling and staying asleep, as long as you are laying down you are resting and recovering.

The Next 72 Hours
Despite how you feel when you go down stairs, you are now well on your way to safe, effective, and efficient recovery.  But it's far from over.  The next three days are incredibly important.  Here are the items to focus on;

Physical Practices
1.)  No running for one (1) day for every ten (10) miles raced.  
2.)  Perform a 10-20 minute "active recovery" walk each day.
3.)  Follow that walk with some gentle mobility exercises.
4.)  Continue to get to bed an hour early each night.  

Nutritional Practices
1.)  Increase healthy protein intake in order to provide your body with the building blocks it needs to continue with skeletal muscle restoration.
2.)  Consume healthy fats to continue assist in the regeneration of key hormones.
3.)  Continue to hydrate to a pale yellow urine.  
4.)  Continue to consume a serving of whey protein (mixed with water) thirty minutes before bed.

After the 72 hour post-event period you should be feeling well on your way to completely recovered.  While you follow the "10 Mile Rule", consider adding some non-impact "active recovery" cross-training modalities to slowly increase your activity level and to mitigate significant alterations in form (ie. becoming stale).   

A professional endurance coach can not only provide specific details with respect to the recovery protocols listed above but can also provide guidance with regard to resumption of sport-specific training.  

Stage Racing: Race, Recover, Repeat

Physical recovery is a
key component to
stage racing success.

"No rest is worth anything expect the rest that is earned."  -Unknown

Stage racing is an increasingly common format of racing in which an athlete performs multiple races over a given period of time (weeks, days, hours).  While physical preparation and appropriate tapering is paramount, what you do (or don't do) between races may be the key to your ultimate success.  

Recovery Is Key
Your "in race" race plan will include a number of elements including gear, pacing, and nutrition.  But what happens the moment the stage is over may determine your readiness to race up to your training when it's time for the next stage.  This format of racing places a premium on recovery.  And recovery has four basic elements in stage racing.

1.) Nutritional

The initial priority after a stage is nutritional.  The objectives are to re-hydrate, replenish glycogen, and facilitate skeletal muscle repair.  Re-hydration is most effectively accomplished with an isotonic electrolyte containing beverage.  An example would be a diluted formula of HEED (ie. half a scoop per 20-24 ounces water).  Re-hydration rates are directly proportional to the environmental conditions, intensity, and duration of the stage.  It's important to note that water alone is not the preferred fluid and may contribute to significant electrolyte imbalances later in the event.

Take Home:  Re-hydrate with a diluted energy drink as soon as a stage is completed.

Once the re-hydration priority is satisfied the next objective is to replenish glycogen stores and to facilitate skeletal muscle repair.  While carbohydrate is the primary fuel source for shorter (ie. less than 30 minutes) more intense efforts (ie. greater than 85% peak capacity), glycogen stores may limit performance in longer (ie. greater than 2 hour) races if adequate carbohydrates aren't available.  Longer races are generally performed at a lower intensity than shorter races.  The fuel sources for these efforts are endogenous/exogenous carbohydrates and stored fats.  Biochemists have concluded that "fats burn in a carbohydrate flame" therefore in order to take advantage of the incredible stored fat energy reserves we must have carbohydrates available to metabolize.  These carbohydrates will be made available from your glycogen stores and your "in race" carbohydrate replenishment.  

Additionally, both shorter high intensity and longer low intensity stage racing results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle.  The degree to which activity-specific skeletal muscle tissue recovers may determine it's ability to contract with optimal force in subsequent stages.  While the restoration of skeletal muscle tissue is both individualized and time dependent, one of the essential components is adequate protein availability.  Optimizing both glycogen replenishment and skeletal muscle repair can be performed nutritionally at the same time.  Within an hour of the stage, consume a 3:1 (carbohydrate to protein) recovery beverage.  Ideally you're aiming for 1 gram of protein per 4 kgs body weight with three times as much carbohydrate.  This is eventually followed by a balanced, safe, and clean meal.  

Take Home:  Drink a "recovery beverage" within an hour of finishing a stage.  It should include both carbohydrate and protein.  Chocolate milk is a great example of an appropriately balanced recovery beverage.

2.)  Medical

Medical priorities are the next thing to address.  While significant issues resulting from physical trauma are obvious, skin integrity can often be the cause of sub-optimal performance including DNF's.  All athletes should get out of race attire and into clean dry clothes as soon as possible.  Runners should assess feet first and then identify any additional chaffing issues.  Cyclists should be concerned about skin integrity in the saddle area.  There are many commercially available products but Caldesene Protecting Powder is a great way to treat most minor skin irritations.  

Take Home:  Get into clean dry clothes fast and take care of your skin.

3.)  Logistical

Once your medical concerns are addressed, work to lay out and arrange your clothing, gear, and nutritional needs for the following stage.  This needs to be done before you focus on resting.

Take Home:  Do work before you do rest.

4.)  Physical

Once your nutritional, medical, and logistical needs are addressed it's time to relax.  As soon as you can, get off your feet and elevate them slightly.  This is also a great time to do some very gentle total body stretching.  While restful sleep is incredibly rejuvenating, unfamiliar and considerably less comfortable sleeping arrangements may make that very challenging.  Even if you're not sleeping soundly remember that resting is still incredibly important.

Take Home:  You don't have to be sleeping to be resting.

Stage racing can be incredibly rewarding and also incredibly taxing.  Include the above four basic recovery elements in your post-stage race and you will place yourself in the best possible position to perform to the level of your training in the next stage.

Keep Easy Days Easy

Erika Cote attacks "The Wall" at
the Mt. Washington Hillclimb.
Photo by Joe Viger Photography.

"Once you have commitment, you need the discipline and hard work to get you there."  ~Haile Gebrselassie

In Training Peaks vernacular, form (aka. training stress balance) is the sum of the following equation;

Yesterday's Fitness - Yesterday's Fatigue

Both fitness and fatigue are cumulative and are represented as weighted averages over the most recent and relative training cycle.  Athletes are generally in a position to perform at their peak capacity when their form is at or above zero.  The optimal form for an endurance athlete is individualized however and a qualified endurance coach with access to the above data can determine exactly the combination of training stress and recovery an athlete needs.  

Hard Work
Most endurance athletes are intrinsically and exceptionally motivated individuals who understand that hard work leads to performance improvement.  It's not difficult to get an endurance athlete to push themselves.  But the above equation suggests that there is a balance between the training stress that leads to fitness and the training stress that results in fatigue.  

Types of Recovery
Training programs with protracted and excessively high training volumes lead to undesirable and performance limiting levels of fatigue.  In best case scenarios, the athlete does not perform up to the level of their preparation.  In worst case scenarios, the athlete becomes sick or injured.  Understanding the benefit and practical application of recovery becomes instrumental to performance success.

Recovery is administered in one of two ways; absolute and relative.  Absolute recovery is a day off from training.  Generally speaking, most endurance athletes benefit from at least one absolute recovery day per microcycle (ie. week).  Relative recovery is either a cross training unit (something other than the primary activity) or a lower volume primary training unit (ie. "active recovery").  Properly prescribed "active recovery" training units utilize the athlete's primary sport (ie. running for runners or cycling for cyclists) and are at a sufficiently low intensity to provide the athlete valuable neuromuscular stimulation without resulting in unduly high levels of fatigue.

The Common Mistake
The most common mistake endurance athletes make is performing their "active recovery" training units at too high of an intensity.  This failure to execute the training plan doesn't lead to fitness gains, it leads to fatigue.  And excessive fatigue tips the training stress balance (ie. form) toward negative numbers and outcomes.  

Discipline yourself to take easy days easy.  In the end, they will ultimately lead to greater performance gains when it matters the most.