Stress, Recover, Improve

Wake up, drink coffee, eat breakfast, go to the bathroom, go for a run. We all know this to be the standard/ideal version of a runner’s morning routine. Especially the pre-run toilet time 🙂 For me, this is the routine that comprises most of the days of my life. So what happens when your body shuts down and you are finally forced to step away from training and take time off? Well, my friends, I have recently discovered the habits that comprise the life of a resting runner…a whole lot of restlessness, bitchiness, and aggression. But also, you get to stay up late and sleep in! You can eat those pancakes or waffles instead of oatmeal and a banana! You can catch up on your trashy tv shows! You can drink wine AND eat dessert! You can start that hobby you always thought about doing! (cough start a blog cough cough). Rest is not all bad folks- and when you do get the green light to run again, it will be that much sweeter!

In the world of competitive running, being injured is simply part of the game. As we pound the pavement over and over again in blind pursuit of a goal, we forget the damage that we are putting on our bodies. Sometimes, the only way we can convince our mind to listen to our body, is when the damage is too far gone and our body finally cries out in despair, typically in the form of an injury. And then come the words every athlete dreads hearing, “You need to rest.”

As a semi-exercise addict, telling me to take time off of running is like telling me to put my life on hold. It is hard for me to think straight, to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, and even to function as a normal human-being. But the fact of the matter is, rest is not only important, it is absolutely necessary. To be able to push our bodies to their limits, we must be able to properly recover. It is impossible to be at your peak of fitness at all times, and more importantly, to be able to reach your peak, you have to be good to your body. Eat well, sleep well, and REST well.

Stress. Recover. Improve. Three simple words that sum up the basic tenants of how to get faster. Most athletes are typically so disciplined and devoted to their training that they tend to overdo the stress phase of the cycle and neglect the recover phase. Many athletes have the flawed mentality that the more they train, the more fit they will become. They train hard every day, sometimes 2-3 times a day, and don’t give the body proper rest. Ultimately, without recovery one will never improve. It is the rest period after a workout that allows our body to adapt to the stress we just put it through and come back stronger than before.

Bill Bowerman, cofounder of Nike and coach of legendary runner, Steve Prefontaine, used to tell his athletes, “Stress, recover, improve, that’s all training is. You’d think any damn fool could do it.”

C’mon people, let’s not be fools! Rest and recover! I promise, the sun will come up tomorrow 🙂

“You know you’re hooked when taking a rest day takes more discipline than working out.”