Your Questions, Answered
For the month of March I will answer a client's question that's health, fitness or massage-related.
Question: I'm planning on running a half marathon in June. I have a training program, yet I'm unsure how I can speed up the recovery process?
Answer: First off, congratulations! Running a marathon is no easy feat. There are a few things you can do listed below that will help your body recover quicker than the average recovery time, which can be up to 7 days.
Make sure you're getting at least 8 - 10 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is when your body produces growth hormone which stimulates muscle growth and repair.
Fuel the body properly with nutritious food and be aware of your caloric intake. An ideal daily intake of calories will vary depending on your age, metabolism and level of physical activity, among other things. I highly suggest investing in a dietician to help you assess your nutritional needs and help you develop and implement a nutrition program.
Drink your body weight in ounces of water each day. We know that when we don't get enough water, every cell of our body is affected. When we sweat, we lose a lot of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium and chloride, which are essential to our body's functions. This is why we get a cramp when we work out without proper hydration.
Add hydrotherapy into your weekly routine at least 1 - 2 times a week, playing with hot and cold soaks. The best time for hot soaks is immediately before a workout to heat sore areas that could benefit from a little extra blood flow. After a long run or marathon, a cold soak will be your best course of relief and the fastest route to recovery.
You must do mobility and stretching workouts at least 2 - 3 times a week. This will help lengthen and relax the connective tissue (muscle, fascia, tendon) so you can get the most out of your workouts and prevent injury.
Have a question? Let us know in the comments below or shoot us an email.
