Whats the best way to recover from running multiple rounds of races. 1 race on day one, two races the next and 1 race on the last day. So 4 races over three days.
I'm mainly worried about the second day, two races 3 hours apart. I generally can't handle eating anything before I run but I know I can't go all day without food.
I'm thinking about just eating something light and then take power gel or something.
What the general opion Zinc and other items to help recover?
I recommend this:
- replace electrolytes as soon as possible
- potassium... banana's
- ice bath at night... in the morning before
- relax dont stress about the final
raise you legs to drain lactic acid out of them. Gravity is your friend
Take a cool shower and a nap between races. The suggestion of an ice bath is good, IF you have done them before. As for food, go to the store and get a quart of honey along with the standard race fare-bananas, bagels, etc. The honey shouldn't upset your stomach. Lydiard was a big advocate of honey-he said Snell went through a lot of it in Tokyo.
Anymore?
Second on the bananas. Good source of potassium (supposedly prevents cramping), not very heavy, but is rather filling/satisfying. I've also heard good things about honey, as said above.
Lastly, stores like RiteAid and Eckerd sell these giant sugar pills. Taken right after a race with some water, I feel these have worked for me. With enough down time between races, it's not like you'll get a sugar high and crash.
No matter what, do it right after your previous race, since your body is craving nutrients, and you need to fuel it.
endurox and accelerade have worked for me. you might try those. i've found them at nutritional places (GNC and such).
don't eat too many bananas between events, as they can be tough to digest.
if you dont have access to either of those, try 1-2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches with some water or gatorade. i'd say wheat bread normally, but you might try white bread. too much fiber can give you the squirts. if you do take a nap, nothing over 30 minutes, as your body will 'oversleep' and you are basically telling your CNS/ PNS to "shut down."
talk to your coach and seek their advice.
most of all--relax and enjoy your time! i qualified for indoor nationals in 2 events 2 years in a row (my junior and senior year), and my coach refused to take me. enjoy your time, because many of us never had the opportunity you are having.
copy/ past this thread somewhere that you can save it, then reply to this thread and tell us what worked and what didn't work. it might help some other runners out there too.
have fun!
Running Rounds wrote:
Whats the best way to recover from running multiple rounds of races. 1 race on day one, two races the next and 1 race on the last day. So 4 races over three days.
I'm mainly worried about the second day, two races 3 hours apart. I generally can't handle eating anything before I run but I know I can't go all day without food.
I'm thinking about just eating something light and then take power gel or something.
What the general opion Zinc and other items to help recover?
If you can get a light rub-down from a massage therapist after the race, make sure you tell them when your next race is. Next in the jacuzzi for no more than 10mins followed immediately by a similar time in a cool pool (or ice bath), lie down with you feet elevated for a while. Take some recovery carb drink, whichever suits you best.
birdman wrote:
don't eat too many bananas between events, as they can be tough to digest.
if you dont have access to either of those, try 1-2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches with some water or gatorade.
You've gotta be kidding me. Warning against too many bananas because of difficulty with digesting them, and then suggesting peanut butter???
The peanut butter will SEVERELY reduce gut motility and slow down absorption and digestion significantly.
Sucks about your coach though, what kind of a guy does that? What event(s)?
How is it that you can qualify for nat's and not know whats best for you? Its also funny how this question was answered even thou nobody knows what your races are in.
Physiology wrote:
birdman wrote:don't eat too many bananas between events, as they can be tough to digest.
if you dont have access to either of those, try 1-2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches with some water or gatorade.
You've gotta be kidding me. Warning against too many bananas because of difficulty with digesting them, and then suggesting peanut butter???
The peanut butter will SEVERELY reduce gut motility and slow down absorption and digestion significantly.
Sucks about your coach though, what kind of a guy does that? What event(s)?
howdy,
well, i guess the point i was trying to make is that i wouldn't want the kid to "OD" on bananas.
the information i gave was from my own personal experience. having eaten 3-4 bananas 2 hours between races (a 1500 and a 5k at a conference meet one year) i ended up throwing up the bananas during the 5k, because they wouldn't digest.
as far as peanut butter goes: it's an easily attainable form of protein that won't spoil like milk would. it's easier to get than endurox, and when taken in small doses (i didn't say lather it on the bread) along with a little jam, it's almost the same thing as endurox. your carbohydrate coming from the bread, the protien from the peanut butter, and sugar coming from either jam or honey. having experimented with this in practice starting February 13th (after running mile repeats) and continuing the practice each monday thereafter, i've found that it works quite well for me.
events were mile and 3000. what kind of a guy does that you ask? the kind of guy who promises a full xc squad year in and year out, yet by the end of the season, there's only 2-4 guys. how he has a job still, i don't know.
however, upon reading my original post, i write an error: i said i qualified in 2 events 2 years in a row. actually, it was the 3k my junior year, and the mile and 3k my senior year. and, it wasn't as if i sucked either--i qualified as an individual to the national XC champs and earned all-american (not NCAA D-1).
physiology, not to attack, but what has worked for you in regards to this situation? how would you approach this? i am now a coach and would like to hear some insight into this, as it could be of help to me.
thanks.