Recover Well, Prevent Injuries

Rest and recovery are key components of training success, but to understand why, we first need to talk about how we gain fitness.  The three things we can manipulate in our training are: how much we train (volume), how hard we train (intensity) and how often we train (frequency).  If we put these things together in the right combination, the result will be improved capacity (ie we’ll be in better shape).  The trick is, we need to subject ourselves to a little bit more than we can handle in order to move forward, but not so much that we get injured - because of this, we need recovery.  Recovery helps us capitalize on the benefits that come from stressing our bodies through our training. 

The diagram below illustrates what I mean.  We have a baseline level of fitness, and when we do a training session, the load of the training session initially breaks us down.  If we let ourselves recover appropriately then when the body builds back up it overshoots where we were when we started, and the result is increased capacity.  This happens over and over again, a process called supercompensation. 

What are some ways we can recover?  First of all, choosing a training plan that has the right equation of volume + intensity + frequency and allows adequate time between training stresses is important.  Your equation is likely different from those of your running buddies, and that’s okay.  Selfcare such as foam-rolling, stretching, Epsom salt baths and even strength training can help you recover from running.  Make sure to get plenty of sleep, and to refuel after workouts and runs to aid in that building back up process I described above. 

 What are some warning signs we haven’t allowed ourselves to recover enough? I think of running in the same way I think about dosing a medicine: you have to keep the dose within the so-called “therapeutic window.” A dose that is too low won’t let you accomplish your goals.  But give yourself a dose that is too high and you can suffer toxicity, such as an overuse injury.  You may also be vulnerable to an entity called overtraining: feeling fatigued, burned out, and even like your fitness is declining. 

So, don’t be afraid to ask for help from a coach or healthcare professional if you are struggling to balance your runs and workouts with your recovery.  Recover well, prevent injuries and overtraining!