How long does it take to recover from a marathon? How long does it take to recover from an Ironman triathlon? How much racing is bad for my body? These are all good questions posed in my office on a regular basis. The problem is that the answer is always, "It depends". Everyone recovers at a different rate. Age, experience and current fitness level are large variables in the equation. I know a marathon runner in town who ran 100 marathons in a less than 10 years; and of course, we have all heard of Dane Rauschenberg who ran 52 marathons in one year for charity and then wrote a book about it! The flip side is that I know runners who can only do one marathon a year without getting hurt and most triathletes only train for one Ironman a year.

 

So what is the magic formula? How much is too much? I think the first thing to think about is what is your goal? If you are just talking about finishing the marathons and not really having a time crunch, then feel free to do up to six a year but realize that having more than two quality runs in a year is very difficult. The Ironman distance should not be attempted more than 2 or 3 times a year regardless of time goals! Now, for those of us who are addicted to the watch, "racing" a marathon is something that should not be done more than twice a year. "Racing" an Ironman triathlon should only be attempted one a year.

 

Why is this true? Well, simple math. It takes a minimum of 4 months to train effectively for a marathon and 6 months for an Ironman. Then you need at least one day for every mile you ran and three to five days for every hour your triathlon took. That means a month of recovery before you start to train again after a marathon and at least 6 weeks after a 12 hour Ironman. Last time I checked, there were only 12 months in a year; hence, the common recommendation of racing no more than 2 quality marathons or one quality Ironman triathlon a year.

 

Why do some people recover faster? Age. My feeling is that youth is wasted on the young. I remember being able to run a marathon and get up and go to work the next day. Now I have to take at least one day off and often take two! Experience does help. Your body has been there before, so it knows it will live. Veterans often have a post-race routine down that helps them recover. (Often this includes the anesthesia known as beer!) If your fitness level is high and your nutritional status is good, you will recover faster.

 

What can you do to hasten recovery? Walk a cool down after the race. Do not sit down immediately even though your legs are begging you to! Take a 15 to 20 minute walk and stretch gently. An ice bath is best, but very few people I know are that tough. A cool bath followed by stretching before you go to bed is helpful. A large amount of carbohydrates and water also helps. Hence the beer phenomenon! A massage a few days after the race will help you recover. More than anything, do not start training again until you are fully recovered. Many injuries occur due to too much, too soon, too fast and too fatigued syndrome!

 

So how much is too much? Again, the answer is always, "It depends." Listen to your body. Really listen and stop being stubborn or stupid! If you start training and you are exhausted, you are doing too much. If you are spending too much time in my office and less on your bike, you are doing too much. The answer is really simple stupid. Listen to your body and it will tell you how much is too much.

 

Bottom line: Let your body fully recover from your races and quality times will be recorded. Race only one to two marathons or one Ironman triathlon a year. As for other distances, keep in mind that you need one day for every mile of a running race and at least 3 days for every hour you raced in triathlon. Anything shorter, you better take off your watch and go for the finish instead of the time and prepare yourself to spend some quality time with your local sports medicine physician!

 

Run Happy! And Recover Well!

 

 

Texas Man triathlon series is this weekend in Denton, Texas. The girls at FAANT (Foot & Ankle Associates of North Texas) have decided to try to suck in one of our coworkers and do the Half-Ironman distance relay. Janet and I are still tired from the New Orleans 70.3 so we thought a relay would be fun and it would get Lori to drink the K00l-aid of triathlon! I get to swim (why does everyone hate the swim?), Janet is going to smash the bike (I heard there were a few little hills, ha ha) and our newest triathlete, Lori, is going to motor the run! A good time I’m sure will be had by all. I’m happy because the swim should be wet suit legal! I float better that way. The forecast is bleak and includes possible thunderstorms, so pray for good weather at 7am on Sunday! We will update you after the race!

 

Here’s a shout out to everyone else racing this weekend. Be safe and have fun!

 

Run Happy!!

The 38-year-old Austin resident was targeting the 2011 or 2012 event in Kona, Hawaii, depending upon whether this year or next will be his final Tour de France.

 

"I will be in Kona 15 months after the final Tour," Armstrong said Friday. " I'm not saying that with any expectation; it will require months and months of getting back into swimming and running. But I want to just do it, just for fun." Strange definition of fun.

 

A swimmer as a child and promising national-level triathlete in his late teens, Armstrong has also run in marathons. The Ironman event consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike leg and 26-mile marathon.

 

"I don't know I could be top three, top five or top 10, but anyway, I want to come and finish," Armstrong said.

 

Ambitious goal, but he will probably do it. It takes the average runner at least 3 years to train and compete their way to an Ironman. Most people never get to Hawaii unless they get in through the lottery; but knowing Lance Armstrong I'm sure they will find a spot for him just for the publicity. What he doesn't fully realize is the carnage that is seen among the best athlete's in the world at Kona. Even the tough barely survive.

 

My hat's off to you Lance. Ambitious goal and a "no quit" mentality are needed to survive Kona! Who knows, maybe I will get in through the lottery and see you there!!

 

Run Happy! Keep Triing!

 

Wow! We were blessed with a great day for racing on Sunday. Slightly overcast and chilly at the start. The elite wave went off just after the sun came up over the water. What an amazing sight. They are so very fast!! I got in the water on the 5^th flight (old ladies ha ha) and spanked the swim! It took about 5 minutes for me to get comfortable, but given the water was 70 degrees I was happy to have my wet suit on. Steady rhythm and out of the water in 44 minutes. 

 

Transition was hilarious. The wet suit strippers unfortunately stripped off the bottoms of the girl next to me (so much for public nudity being prohibited) so she was mortified and I couldn’t stop laughing. I had trouble finding my bike in the sea of bikes but then got changed and off I went. I had to keep a steady heart rate during the bike so I would have something left for the run. I also had to make sure I took in enough nutrition and drank enough so I wouldn’t be dead before I started to run. Rolling hills are your friend, but some killer turns were nasty. I only passed 4 people that were actually moving forward. The other 12 or so were either crashed (sorry Diesel) or were somewhere between throwing up or passing out. Being the stellar cyclist I am (NOT), I think at least 2000 people passed me on the bike.

 

Oh well, I still got through faster than my goal and after a smooth transition started to run. Well, you may call it running but it was more like a slow crawl at first. Then a walk. My stomach was in knots. After a quick trip to the port-a-potty and a little vomitus, I was feeling much better. Guess I actually ate too much on the bike. I was 4 miles in and started to actually run. The run was three loops so I got to see my awesome cheering section of sherpas three times. They reminded me on the last loop that I would make it under 7 hours if I just kept a steady pace (which at this point was 10 minute miles). Boy did it get hot on the run. Thank God for the cold towels, wet sponges and water stations about every mile. It was amazing to me how many people were walking and crawling at the end. Some were even staggering. I finished with a strong charge and made it in at 6:57:59. Yea! An hour faster than I predicted, and under 7, so Janet’s prediction came true. All weekend she was chanting 6, 6, I know you can do it in 6.

 

A cold Shiner was my reward after the finish line and a good time was had by all. Worst part of the whole weekend was the drive home (and the sunburn)…Thank God Janet was on sherpa duty and loves to drive! What did I learn? Patience and perseverance mixed with a little stubbornness will get you through, but a few more long bricks probably would’ve helped me take an hour off my time. Off season a new bike is definitely in order and oh yeah….wear sunscreen!

 

A great first Half-Ironman experience! Funny thing, I hurt a lot less the next day than I did after my last marathon. Guess I will have to try another one next season…who knows maybe even a full in 2011!

 

Run Happy my peeps!

 

It’s just a few days from a big race and I’m already anxious. What am I afraid of? Running a bad time? Totally bonking? Looking stupid in front of my friends and patients? Drowning in the open water swim? Getting a flat tire? Perishing on the street? Where does all this performance anxiety come from? After 30 years of competitive running you would think I would have conquered race day jitters, but they are always there…kinds like an old friend…or a fungus….

 

So, how do I cope with race day jitters? Positive self-talk, preparation, visualization and organization!

 

A race is just another long training day in the company of a few hundred, or sometimes a few thousand, of your closest friends. Most anxiety comes from fear of the unknown and lots of negative self-talk. Reality – your friends and family really don’t care what your time is, whether you place or not, and the world will not end if you run a bad time! My patients are just amazed this old lady is still racing! Times are irrelevant! Setting high goals will just stress you out! Focus on running your best race that day! Relax! Have fun! Go into the race realizing you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I treat every race as a learning experience. Even if you get kicked in the face in the swim and lose your goggles, get a flat tire or totally bonk on the run; you learn something you can use another day!

 

There are many things you can do to stay relaxed. Here are just a few I have learned along the way:

 

 

Race day jitters can completely derail your race before it has even started. Don’t let the negativity ruin all your hard work and preparation! Relax! Follow these tips and remember to banish the negative, and stay positive throughout the race! Try to have fun! Whether this is your first marathon or your 100^th triathlon, remember to celebrate your training and have a great race!

 

Run Happy! And anxiety free!