Too Much of a Good Thing

As recreational athletes in search of improving our performances by going faster, farther, easier we tend to think more rather than less will get us there. There is however such a thing as too much of a good thing. Next time you?re finding yourself tired, injured or your performances slowing rather than improving respect the machine and add or increase some of the following things to your program.
Warming up and cooling down: A good warm-up dilates your blood vessels, ensuring that your muscles are well supplied with oxygen. It also raises your muscles' temperature for optimal flexibility and efficiency. By slowly raising your heart rate, the warm-up also helps minimize stress on your heart when you start your run. Just as critical, the cool-down keeps the blood flowing throughout the body. Stopping suddenly can cause light-headedness because your heart rate and blood pressure drop rapidly. Winding down slowly allows them to fall gradually.
Nutrition: Start every workout with well stocked sugar stores, and then replenish your muscles with high quality, easily digestible carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of finishing. Maintaining proper hydration levels with appropriate electrolytes is equally important. Don?t look at each workout as existing in a bubble, the effects of day after day sessions can dehydrate you and deplete your energy stores.
Sleep: If possible take a short nap (20 to 60 minutes) after a particularly long or hard workout. When asleep, the body releases growth hormone which promotes muscle repair. Quality sleep also allows the nervous system a chance to reset. Going to bed early, before 11PM is important for recovery.
Stress: If you are not allowing for rest and recovery you are performing on stress hormones, which will greatly deplete and injure your body. Your muscles must have time to heal in order to grow stronger. Eliminate as much stress from daily living as possible. Your body does not discriminate between the stresses caused by a two hour run or two hours spent stuck in traffic. So if the strain of work, a relationship, moving among other things in combination with physical activity, pushes you into the red zone, think about reducing the time you send swimming, biking or running which will free up energy for coping with your non-active life. The break will also ensure your recovery system remains healthy so when you are able to go back to regular training at the desired level, you?ll have ample energy.
Taper: Finally two weeks maybe three is optimal for most people. Increase your protein intake at the beginning of the taper and move towards more carbohydrates as race days gets closer.

The Frozen Ass 4k/8k Snowshoe race will be held at Batawa Ski Hill on Sunday February 6th, register at Tri & Run Sports. The Freezing 5k Fun Run will be held in Belleville on Saturday February 26th. The AGM of the Belleville Runners Club will be held on February 2 at 7:30PM at the Belleville Club. Everyone is welcome.