How to recover from a long-distance event

Being sore, exhausted and a little run-down after an endurance event is normal. That post-race soreness is your reward from the effort that was needed to get from the start to the finish - you earned the hobble in your wobble. 

Although there is no one specific guideline, rule or method to speed up recovery after an endurance triathlon event, I feel it's important to walk you through some of the factors that contribute to recovery time after an endurance event. Although everyone is different, here are some of the mistakes that athletes make post race and a few strategies to help you get back to good health after a long-distance triathlon event.

Why is recovery important?

In training for an event, we welcome (and need) intentional and residual training stress for proper peaking and then we need to provide the body with a taper, in order to reduce the psychological and physiological stressors of consistent training in order to optimize performance and enhance previous training adaptations.

After a race, recovery is the time when the body returns to a normal state of health and mind, so that you can once again, consistently do high-quality training sessions with no residual fatigue from the last event.

Many athletes make the mistake of training for one race at a time and not seeing the season as a progression of fitness from race to race. In other words, you can actually gain fitness from race to race, so long as you properly recover and continue with well-planned, structured training. Take too long of a break and you lose what you gained in previous training but come back to soon, and you remain stale, tired and fatigued with little ability to take fitness to that next level.

Factors affecting race recovery

How fast or effectively you recover from an event depends on many factors. Even within one season, recovery time for one athlete may differ race to race, as some races require a longer recovery time than others.

• Distance of the event
• Prior experience in the sport
• Finishing time
• Racing intensity relative to distance
• Racing intensity relative to race priority/season planning
• Race preparation and ability (or lack thereof) to remain consistent to training
• Life stressors (family, travel, personal, work)
• Age
• Athletic ability/resilience
• Length of taper
• Health status leading up to the race
• Nerves/anxiety before the race
• Nutritional status leading up to the race
• Fueling/hydration execution during the race
• Pacing during the race
• Difficulty/ease of race course
• Environmental conditions on race day
• Terrain management on race day
• Type of course layout (ex. downhill running, extreme heat or cold)
• Setbacks on race day (ex. dehydration, cramping, bonking, nausea/fatigue)
• Post race nutrition, including refueling and re-hydration
• Post race sleep habits
• Post race stress
• Post race travel
• Timing of next race
• Mental state post race

Although you can not control every factor listed above, it's important to consider that your post race recovery doesn't simply include what you do (or don't do) in the 24-72 hours after a race. In addition to the muscle, tendon, bone and joint stress on the body during an endurance event, there is great stress on the heart, organs, central nervous system and brain. Therefore, recovery after an endurance event isn't something that is determined by a feeling, nor should it be assumed that just because you had a good/bad race that you will return to 100% health in x-days so that you can get back into training again.

Common post-race mistakes

The 48-72 hours after an endurance event are critical for optimizing recovery. Seeing that poor sleep, poor hydration and nutrition, extreme muscle soreness and travel will all impede recovery, athletes should be aware of the consequences of returning back to training too quickly. However, doing nothing is not helpful for recovery. Considering that racing is a great stress on the human body, returning back to training too soon, without optimal recovery, may negatively affect metabolic and hormonal health, central nervous system functioning and mood, not to mention lingering fatigue. In other words, if you rush the recovery, you may dig yourself into a hole that you can't get out of for several weeks, if not months - or the rest of the season.

Here are some common mistakes made by athletes post-race:

• Using anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation.
• Not executing a rehydration and refueling strategy in the 24 hours post race.
• Eating "too" healthy in the 24 hours post race.
• Eating "too" unhealthy in the 24 hours post race.
• Resuming "normal" training, despite being sleep deprived.
• Resuming "normal" training, despite form being affected by soreness and niggles.
• Being too sedentary in the 3-4 days post race.
• Returning back into intense training because a race didn't go as planned (ex. didn't PR, podium, etc.).
• Returning back into intense training because a race exceeded your expectations and you are itching to get back into training for the next race.
• Returning back to training because you don't know how to function in life without training.
• You hate resting/recovery.
• Following a fixed training plan and not listening to your body post race.

Even if you feel ok the day after a race, you can't fully recover in the 48 hours after an endurance event as glycogen needs to be resynthesized, hydration status needs to normalize, tissues, muscles and fibers need to heal and sleep patterns must return to normal before any type of training (for physical adaptations) is initiated. However, moving blood can certainly help to expedite the recovery process. 

Here are a few suggestions to help you recover from your long-distance event:

• Give yourself 4-6 hours to rehydrate and refuel after the race. Understanding that it may take time for your appetite to return to normal, it's OK to eat what you crave but just be sure to eat and rehydrate with water and electrolytes. Not eating/drinking for 6-8 hours after a race will only delay recovery and may compromise your health. 
  
  
• Continue to focus on good refueling and rehydration methods for the next 48 hours with permission to indulge as you wish, within reason. By this time, you should be slowly returning to your normal eating habits, emphasizing real, wholesome food options.
  
  
• Try to avoid jumping right into the car or on an airplane in the 4 hours after a race. Ideally, give yourself one extra night of rest and light movement before you are forced to sit for an extended period of time, so that you have an opportunity to move your body. If you do have to travel soon after the race, be sure to get up and move around to help with blood flow (and wear compression).
  
  
• Avoid getting a massage in the 48 hours post race. Rehydrate yourself and focus on daily mobility for the next 48-72 hours. Schedule a flushing massage at least 4+ days post race.
  
  
• Consume anti-inflammatory foods, like pineapple, celery, fish and leafy greens in the 48 hours post race.  Avoid taking any anti-inflammatories or pain relieving pills.
  
  
• Wear compression (or compression boots) post race. Graduated compression socks (and not calf sleeves) will help with blood flow.
  
  
• Use a safe and muscle relaxing cream (ex. Mg12) on any tight/sore muscles after a race.
  
  
• Avoid alcoholic beverages in the 48 hours post race. Avoid caffeinated beverages in the 6-8 hours before bedtime.
  
  
• Try to get yourself into a good sleep routine as soon as you can. Do not allow yourself to return back into structured training until you can get a consistent 7-8 hours of sleep without waking up throughout the night.
  
  
• To expedite the recovery process, it's advised to do something non-weight bearing and very light on the body in the 24 hours after a race. Instead of sedentary recovery (laying around), try to move blood with light swimming and bike riding.
  
  
• Give yourself up to 72 hours of no structured training. Instead, exercise as it comes natural to you. When you have the time, go for a swim or spin but avoid setting an alarm or returning back to your structured training regime too quickly. There's plenty of time for that after you recover.
  
  
• Consider minimizing running for at least 48-72 hours. Since running is very corrosive on the body, it's advised to keep your runs short and frequent (ex. 15-40 minutes every other day) while including walk breaks.
  
  
• Understand that some body parts will recover faster than others but there is deep damage inside you that you can't feel. Generally speaking, most athletes will not make any additional fitness advancements in the days soon after a race so be patient before you begin to train again for physiological gains. Additionally, an elite or trained athlete who takes more risks on race day may experience more mental and physical damage if recovery is not taken seriously. 
  
  
• Accept that age, previous fitness and racing execution will affect your recovery. Don't compare your recovery to another athlete, focus only on yourself.
  
  
• If you can't keep good form or focus during a workout, stop immediately. Poor/inefficient form or a central nervous system that is still depressed from the previous event is a sign that your body is not yet recovered and you could risk further damage or injury.
  
  
• Have fun in the 5-7 days after your race. There will be a time to push hard again. Enjoy the lower intensity workouts and having a bit more free time, as you slowly ease back into structured training.
  
  

8 tips to improve your transition time

Many athletes waste precious time in the transition area. It's not a place for rest, high-fives, hugs or taking in calories but instead, a place where you transition quickly from one sport to the next. Transitions offer a unique opportunity to save time without much physical cost.

However, for many triathletes, the transition area brings great physical and emotional stress as it is an unfamiliar component of triathlon racing that is only performed just a few times per year - on race day. Stressing about your transition area layout, the order that you will put on your gear and who's around you will only give you added frustration, anxiety and energy.

Here are a few tips for a smooth and quick transition:

1. Create an auto­pilot plan ­- You need a repeatable plan that requires little thought. Write out your plan from swim to bike and then bike to run in advance. Do not ignore any details. Create order to your plan so that your transitions are smooth and effective. Continue to practice and refine it over time in training and on race day.
2. Understand the transition layout ­- Just like you would study your race course, be sure to study the layout of the transition area. Where will you exit the swim, how will you enter T1, where do you bike out (and how do you get there with your bike), where's the mount/dismount line, where do you bike in and where do you run out? What obstacles will you need to overcome to get to and from your transition? Don't just study the actual fenced-in transition area but the terrain to and from the transition area. Always know and rehearse your transition before every race. If you are a visual learner, it's recommended to draw out your transition area (with arrows) and then commit to memory before your race. Look for unmovable landmarks (ex. light post and not a trash can) to help you identify key areas (ex. your bike rack) in the transition area.
3. Understand the rules of your transition area ­- Read the athlete guide and know the rules of your race. Some triathlons require you to put your swim or bike gear into a bag. Some races will not allow bike pumps or bags to be left in the transition area. Know how to properly hang your bike on the rack.  Every race is allowed to do things differently so be sure to know the details of what is allowed/not allowed inside the transition area. Also be sure to know what time the transition area closes (and opens).
4. Don't complicate your routine -­ The fewer tasks you have to complete in the transition area, the faster you can be in and out. Always adapt your plan based on the weather and course. In the case of rain, it's recommended put your run and bike transition gear inside different bags to prevent it from getting wet (ex. socks/shoes).
5. Reduce the energy cost -­ It is well known that triathletes will experience their highest heart rate in T1. Try to keep your emotional and physical energy costs as low as possible in order to ensure a smooth transition to your next discipline. Although you want to have a quick transition, rushing can cause careless decisions.
6. Mentally go through the actions ­- Before you finish the swim and the bike, start rehearsing your upcoming transition process and mentally prepare your body from transitioning from one sport to the next. By thinking through this process, you will avoid the panic and anxiety that often occurs when it is time to actually commit to the transition process.
7. Practice -­ By practicing your transition in training, you can build confidence for race day. Keep a list of what you use in training and what you will need only for race day so that you don't overthink and over­-clutter your transition area.
8. $h!t happens ­- No transition will be flawless. Anything can happen when you are racing under pressure. The most important thing is to stay calm and relaxed, no matter what. If anything, give yourself a laugh when you can't unbuckle your helmet, forget to take off your swimskin before the bike or you stumble as you try to put on your running shoes with wobbly legs.

It's out of your control

As an athlete, you can control how you prepare for a race by focusing on one day at a time but you can't control what will happen on race day, until it is race day. And sometimes, even when you focus on what you can control (attitude, nutrition, pacing, clothing) things may not always go as planned so you have to adjust. 

However, you can always be prepared to handle the controllables and uncontrollables. 

Obsessing over trying to control certain situations or getting upset, angry or anxious about things beyond your control is the best way to steal away energy that you can use on race day.

As an athlete, you have to be prepared for anything on race day and you can't let a race-day curveball like wind, rain, a modified course, temperature or hills keep you from doing what you trained to do on race day.... RACE!

With this being my 10th year as an endurance triathlete but also a coach to many amazing athletes of all levels, I feel it is important for athletes to distinguish between the following:

1. What worries you that is out of your control.
2. What worries you that you can do something about. 

For examples, let's look at the following.

1. An athlete is worried about hills on a course because she/he trains only on flat roads and feels scared on hills (when riding) or not strong enough when running. While the athlete can not make hills magically appear where she/he lives, this athlete can make the investment to travel to a place nearby that does have hills to train once or twice a month to get more comfortable riding on hilly terrain. If there are hills on the run course, the athlete can run at an incline on the treadmill. Or, she/he can plan a trip to a bike-friendly location with hills to practice cycling or running on hills. If this is not possible, if anything, the athlete can arrive to the race venue a few days early before the race to get more comfortable on the race course. While the hills on the race course are out of his/her control, having the knowledge how to handle a hilly course (with the right gears, knowing how to change your gears, how to pedal efficiently, how to climb and descend safely and efficiently) as well as having some experience on hills will bring confidence to race day.

2. An athlete is worried about a bike course that has a lot of turns and u-turns. While the race course is out of your control (you can't change it), you can prepare for it. Practice, practice, practice. This is 100% within your control as you can practice your turns so you feel more comfortable on race day. Same goes for open water or running on a trail. Understand your race course and prepare yourself for what you will be dealing with on race day. If you complain about your race course and make excuses for not having a good race, but you don't practice or prepare for your course, your reasons for not doing well are not valid. If you prepare and practice but still struggle on race day, at least you tried which means you made the effort to prepare.
There's a big difference between making the effort and making excuses. 

3. An athlete is worried about the hot temperatures on race day because she/he constantly struggles training in the heat. While the temperature is completely out of your control (sorry - no thermostat for race day), you can have a very smart pacing and fueling and hydration plan to execute the best on race day. Consult a professional to help with fueling, hydrating and/or pacing if this is not your area of expertise (especially if you are planning to apply the same strategy that doesn't work in training but hoping for a different result on race day).

4. An athlete is worried about the wind or temperatures because she/he was hoping for a PR. A big part of racing is accepting that the fitness that you bring to race day is helping you perform well on race day. But you can't control the outcome. Spending all your energy on the end result will not help you race to your full capability ON race day. While the outcome may or may not be what you had envisioned, time goals help you get out bed to train (motivation) but the best performing athlete is always the one who slows down the least (race smart).

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Last year, Dr. G and I came up with a few situations on how to dodge a race-day curveball. We hope that you enjoy the article that we published on Ironman.com.

Here are two of our tips from the article:

Windy conditions-When it comes to equipment (i.e. your aero helmet, wheel depth choice, and hydration set up), it may be in your best interest to not focus so much on what’s fastest (or what the pros are using) but instead, use what you are most comfortable with, while riding on your race course. 

Windy conditions also require a lot of energy and can be physically and mentally draining. Don’t stress or obsess about your times or paces, even if your race is famous for being a fast course. Your performance will all come down to pacing. An epic bike time is worth bragging about only if you can run strong afterward. Race the competition, not the clock, and never try to beat the wind.   

Modified courseRespond, don't react. If possible, study the modified course ahead of time. If the course is modified at the last minute, remind yourself that everyone is in the same boat and probably feeling similar emotions and concerns. This should be validating, because everyone is mentally revising his or her race strategy. Remind yourself, you can't change the situation but you can choose how you respond to what happens to you. Don't react out of stress; respond by adjusting your attitude and rising to the new challenge. You didn't sign up for easy, right?

READ MORE HERE

Embrace your competition on race day

In one day, all the training prep will be done for St. Croix 70.3  and in 15 days we will put months of training to the test. 

We are SO excited for our race-cation!

Here's a great recap on the race, if you are not aware of the beauty and the beast of this island. 

Course preview and race details

When it comes to racing, every athlete will have his/her own expectations for the day. Competition is likely the driving force as to why many athletes enjoy pushing their body to the limits, in hopes of placing on the podium, qualifying for a national or world event, having a PR or beating another competitor or two that has been on the radar.

For all athletes, I hope that there's enjoyment in racing, regardless of the competitive spirit. Crossing the finish line should always be the ultimate goal for you can never take for granted what the human body can do.

I encourage you to embrace a competitive mindset to help you take your fitness to the next level. As I mentioned above, I never want you to lose focus on having fun with your body but with the time, money and effort that you dedicate to training, it's important to me that you see progress with your fitness and you can show it off on race day. 

Many athletes let competition get the best of them on race day, the eve of race day, race week and even well before race day. Nerves, anxiety, fear, self-doubt.....the mind can be a wonderful asset to your moving body but many times, performance is negatively affected because of too much perceived stress. I'm sure you can think of the last time you were super duper nervous about a race and then as soon as you started, the nerves subsided and when you crossed the finish line you thought "why was I so nervous, that was so much fun!"

Tune-up races, test sets and group workouts are great ways to put a little pressure on yourself before the big race. Because you have an audience (both in person and your followers "on line") on race day, you don't only feel pressure from your own expectations but also the pressure you feel from others, that you put on yourself. 

Do you have fun doubting your own potential as an athlete as you look around on race day and instantly assume that she is fitter than you, he is faster than you, she will beat you out of the water, he will pass you on the bike, she will run you down, he will win the race? Maybe you don't do this exact type of self-talk but isn't is so much easier to say to yourself "I am going to rock this race because I have put in the work for this very special day!!"

The thoughts in your mind may play ping-pong between positive and negative and this nervous energy is totally normal and accepted. Whenever I chat with Gloria (my mental coach) before a race and talk about my pre-race worries as a competitive athlete, she always tells me that it's ok to be nervous, it means I am ready.  

I really love competition. In every triathlon, there has always been someone behind me or in front of me at some point in the race and I enjoy using another athlete (or more) to help me discover a new limit to my racing ability as well as to keep me in check so that I pace my own race.

  

It's very important that you always embrace the competition at your race and to avoid telling yourself that you are slow, out of shape or will never be that good. If you trained like you wanted to train, you are ready. If your training didn't go as plan, trust your current level of fitness and skills that you can use for the best race possible on that race day.

Remember that everyone who stands at the same start line as you, likely has similar thoughts of fear of failure, doubt, skills, fitness level or confidence. It's all a matter of how you visualize success and set your mind up for success.

Every athlete needs competition. 

If you arrived to every one of your races and knew that you would win the race every time, it's likely that you would never challenge yourself in training in order to make changes in order to become stronger, faster or more powerful. 

And don't fear being beat. It's inspiring to watch someone have a great race day and even better, her/his success can fuel your next few weeks of training!

But show up to every race and feel frustrated or upset with your current level of fitness and you will likely achieve burn-out rather quickly in your racing career. 

The key to maximizing your potential as an athlete is to always stay present in the moment when you are racing. 

Before I did IM Lake Placid in 2013, Gloria told me to not freak-out when someone in my age group would pass me. Since I was racing for a Kona slot, I was 100% dedicated to chasing the competition and not a time. She told me to acknowledge that at that moment, they were having a great moment. This doesn't mean that I was having a bad moment or that I wasn't as good as the other girl but just to focus on myself, in the present moment. Not only did this strategy work to help me qualify for Kona but I also achieved a personal best time of 10:43 on a very difficult course, after racing for 140.6 miles. 

Whereas in IM Lake Placid I embraced the competition that I was racing against in order to help me challenge myself within my upper limits of my comfort zone (stepping outside of your comfort zone, even for a short time, in an IM is not a wise strategy - pace your own race), I had a different mindset in Kona for the Ironman World Championship. 

Since I had already done the work to qualify for Kona and considering this was my third trip to the big island (thank you body!), I raced for only myself as I acknowledged that I was racing with the top endurance triathletes from all around the world. Although I knew my fitness coming off of IM Lake Placid, as well as my 12 weeks of training between both IM's, was a green light letting me know that if I raced smart I could possible achieve another best time (or performance), I went into this race without caring about the place outcome (which is unlike competing in an Ironman when you want to qualify for Kona) and instead, just stayed focused with my performance for every mile of the race. 10 hours and 37 minutes later, I cross the finish line with a PR and the most incredible feeling that I not only raced smart but really competed well with myself. 

As you gear-up for your upcoming race, embrace the competition. 

Recognize the pressure that you put on yourself and use it as you trust your abilities. You are not arrogant, you are confident. 

Trust your fitness, trust your plan, trust your nutrition and trust your mind and body. 

You have the opportunity to reach extrordinary performances in your racing season. 

Never lose sight on the things you love about race day, before, during and after. 

The pre-race jitters, the art of getting your bib number marked on your body (or pinning the number on your shirt), the flow of positive and negative thoughts throughout the race, the cheers from the spectators, the support from your fellow athletes and volunteers and of course, that feeling when you cross the finish line, feeling achieved and oh, that post-race ache that makes you walk funny (you know you love it) and sharing race stories with your competitors post race. 

I know you can race strong, so don't convince yourself otherwise. 

Regardless if you are racing this weekend or in the next few months or maybe even next year, confidence comes from within no matter who is around you. 

Because there will always be someone faster or slower than you on race day, fuel your competitive fire by those who are having a great day and be positive with your thoughts as you also have a great race day performance. 

Physiological adaptations to altitude: train smart

I remember my very first destination bike ride - beautiful Lake Tahoe in September of 2006. This was a very exciting opportunity for me to ride my bike somewhere new and to experience how much I love having gears. I had my tri bike less than a year but I instantly fell in love with climbing. Oh, this trip was also extra special because my "boyfriend" Karel (who I had been dating for less than 5 months) joined me for our first trip together. 

I guess if any guy would voluntarily ride his bike around Lake Tahoe with me for "fun", he would be a keeper. Lucky me!

As much as I love traveling to race and racing to travel, it's important that when I pick my races, I understand the variables that can have a positive and negative impact in my racing experience. I put a lot of time, effort and money into my race day planning and training so it is important to me that I am able to do my best on race day by controlling my variables. Because my best distance is the Ironman, I realize that spending so much time and effort to prepare my body physically for 140.6 miles is hard enough. Add in conditions that I can not properly physically prepare for and that becomes an entire different scenario. 

Although some athletes may be fine to race in an environment that has elements that are new to the body on race day, it is important prior to selecting races (or if you have them picked, to adjust race day plan properly) to address any limiters that could or may affect your race day experience. Although I live in Florida, my body loves to climb. I do not train on any hills but I know how to simulate race day conditions with my power meter to help me pace in different intervals which could resemble race day. As for racing in the mountains......not likely as I live at sea level in Florida. 

As for altitude, perhaps there may be a day when I will do a race out West in the mountains but for now, I love to race and I know my body will become compromised the higher and higher I go above sea level (especially compared to the athletes who I am competing against - who can live and train at higher altitudes than myself). This is why it is really important for athletes to properly pick races that suitable for successful race day experiences (weather considered as well). There's nothing wrong with a bucket list race but be sure to consider the physical, financial, time and mental investment you are making for your "destination" race and if are able to put all that hard work to the test on race day. 

In the Fall 2013 (vol 32, No 4) issue of SCAN there was a great article discussing endurance athletes who train at altitude. We have all heard "train low, live high" to maximize performance but there are a few things to pay attention to with altitude training. Whether you are choosing to train at altitude specifically for physiological purposes or traveling for vacation and hope to maintain your fitness/training routine, here are a few tips from the newsletter (pg 18): 

-Iron - make sure iron stores are adequate by being testing for serum ferritin before going to altitude. Ferritin concentrations below 20 ng/mL to 30 ng/mL suggest a suboptimal iron status that might not support blood based adaptations to moderate altitude. In some countries, such as Australia, endurance athletes with low serum ferritin are encouraged to take an iron supplement daily for 2-4 weeks before going to altitude. 

-Illness - start the trip when you are healthy; avoid the trip if you are sick. An athlete who feels unwell does not need any additional stress relating to the dry air and hypoxia associated with high altitudes. Instead, the athletes should rest and recover at sea level. 

-Inflammation - Research examining the efficacy of EPO (erythropoietin), a hormone that controls new red blood cell formation, in sick people demonstrates that inflammation reduces the red blood cell response to EPO. Because EPO is a cytokin (a signaling compound involved in the immune response), it is possible that other cytokines involved in inflammation also interfere with red blood cell production. That could mean reduced ability to transport oxygen from the blood into the working muscles - and that means early fatigue.

-Intensity - Athletes should avoid doing high-intensity exercise at altitude for a while. Although they may be excited to start altitude training, many athletes overdo it during the first 3-7 days. They then struggle to do high-quality workouts during the middle of the camp-or even worse, they become sick. Allowing the body a few days to get familiarized with altitude is a wise plan.  

-Intake of Energy - Eat enough: no dieting is allowed at altitude because the body needs energy to make red blood cells. although it may be easier to lose weight at altitude (due to a lack of appetite), the better time to lose weight is during the off-season. 

-Investment and interest - Altitude training camps can be extremely motivating and exciting. Athletes want to use this unique environment to build hope and optimism for upcoming competitions. 

Since I won't be racing swim, bike, run in the mountains anytime soon, I think I will stick with the snow sports when I have the opportunity to enjoy a snowy, amazing mountain view.
(picture from Oakley Women product testing trip in Utah)