Reduce Post Event Soreness
I have people ask me to train them for an event, whether it’s a marathon or 5K, a 20-mile bike ride or tough mudder event. They’re all fun activities that are great goals to strive for, and great ways to be active and have fun in the process! They are all equally exciting and present their own challenges. It’s awesome as a professional fitness trainer to see the pictures of my friends and Zone members post the event – proudly wearing their medals or that big smile that says, “I did it!” No matter what…I feel I was there with them…
In the next sentence, I usually hear “I’m not even sore!” but sometimes I hear, my _____ hurts. Even the most trained athlete can have an ache and a pain after an event if they don’t learn how to come down from that event, haven’t trained well or Mother Nature throws them a weather curve. I was reminded of this when my latest client told she finished her first 20-mile bike ride event. I could tell she was very proud of her accomplishment and I was equally proud of her. Then I heard, “I was sore!” We investigated the why, after all her practice was she sore? After talking with her, I realized that I don’t do as good a job on after the event training as I should… and that I need to give more focus to the “after” to make sure my athletes are ready for the Monday after. I spend time talking about nutrition, dynamic stretches and training for the event, and now will offer these tips for after the event:
Janelle’s Post Event Tips:
· The first thing you need to realize is the adrenaline on the day of the event will rev you up. You’ll feel powerful and accomplished with all the training time you’ve put in. Go back to that training time in your head, your learned a pace - now’s the time to keep that pace. If you find yourself going faster than the training pace, know you will have more soreness because your body is not used to this “new” pace. It is a different level than what you trained for. Try to slow down to that pace to finish strong versus burnout before you hit the finish line. There are apps that help train you with pacing, as most races do not allow headphones for race safety during an event. So don’t get dependent on them, use them to train.
· The second thing, make sure you have a post workout snack. Don’t assume the event will provide something or that they’ll have what you need or are accustomed to. My bike rider had a few post-race bites and then waited seven hours for dinner! She then said they had ethnic food which was a poor choice for recovery as well. Add alcohol to that celebration and it’s a recipe for disaster on the morning after.
· Third, hydration after the race is equally important as during the race. Often times, events have water stations along the way and are great about helping you stay hydrated during the event. But remember that post event recovery time as well. As I said, alcohol is no substitute for good old water. Watch the sports/energy drinks too as most add sugar! Refined sugar is the enemy of muscle rebuilding or re-cooping from an event. You’re better off eating your complex carb and protein to get that glucose back, and drink to rehydrate with water or a low sugar sports drink.
· The fourth tip is stretch! Do a proper cool down at the end. This may take 15 to 20 minutes. Do some static stretches as the end to cool the body down. Dynamic stretches to warm up and before an event, but good ole static or you hold for 15 to 30 seconds as a time stretches.
· REST! Take time off! You’ve trained and completed your event…now it’s time to rest! Take time off your training to do something that you like. Totally different from what you were doing once you have finished your “event” cycle. Your season is done…take time off with active rest. If you’ve been running, try biking; if you’ve been swimming, try walking. You get the point. Mix it up, take a break and have fun!
When you are training, you don’t run/ride or walk the entire distance that you do during the event. So, when you do the real event, you will be sore – usually with the added adrenaline from a harder pace and the extra time/mileage of the event. Remembering proper nutrition, rest and stretching are as important in your post event time as in your preparation.
Challenge yourself to try an event of some kind if you never have. They’re a great way to set a goal and work towards something – but the key is to TRAIN – don’t be a weekend warrior who’s got an imminent visit to an orthopedic surgeon in your future. You’ll address so many components of your well-being when you do this and improve your life before and after a race with a reduced risk of injury. Make the event a fun way to add fitness into your lifestyle with a realistic physical and mental goal to work toward. Events are also a social event so invite someone else to train with you and fulfill that need as well. Training like this can help you cross an emotional barrier of feeling alone is your quest for fitness and create confidence along the way. You’ll also need to check your food and nutrition, as well as your rest from activity and at night. All these factors will weigh in on how you perform at event time and give you goals in each area to strive for; as well as how you’ll come out of the event and your readiness for that up and coming Monday after.