Recovery

What to do when you've overdone it

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joan collins
30/08/2001 at 10:56
I spent the weekend in Austria, where in 3 days I squeezed in 3 3000m peaks, and in between, (on the spur of the moment) a 30km mountain marathon with 1800m ascent (half run, half walked). Oh, and some bouldering and a 50km hilly cycle ride at the beginning and end as well.

This is far, far more than I would normally do, but you've got to make the most of the end of summer, eh?

I currently do 1-2 hours running/gym a day, but am by no means superfit, so needless to say I was absolutely knackered at the end on Monday, with pain/lactic build-up in the thighs and general fatigue. Even today on Thursday my thighs still hurt, and I've been constantly ravenously hungry for the last two days.

Is there anything I could have done to minimise the fatigue, or recover more quickly? Is it best to rest overused muscles, or to carry on exercising gently?

And I think I was adequately hydrated most of the time I was there, but I'm not sure I ate enough or correctly. Certainly in the marathon my energy levels jumped about 200% each time I had some fruit juice/water. How much/often should you eat in this type of event (I've never done anything longer than a 10k road race before)?

Jon Doran
30/08/2001 at 11:16
'in between, (on the spur of the moment) a 30km mountain marathon with 1800m ascent'...

Fair enough. I'm no expert, but as far as recovery goes, see the Butcher's Dog thing on eating post exercise in the glycogen window - carnohydrate with high glycemic index with some protein thrown in for quicker uptake to glycogen depleted muscles.

You've probably run your muscle glycogen reserves down a fair bit, so eat carbohydrate and take it relatively easy. Take a while to replenish reserves.

As far as exercise goes, something like 20 minutes very gentle cycling at around 120 bpm will help to flush your muscles through and help recovery, but that really does mean very gently. Hardly any effort at all. Ditto some stretching will help.

A HRM will help you to judge when you're heart is fully recovered - resting pulse in the morning, but let's face it, can get a bit anal if used obsessively.

The nutrition thing is complicated, I like energy drinks, but there's a limit to how much energy you can absorb like that without compromising hydration - I wonder if Mr Duffy from On The Hill has any thoughts?

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Steve Duffy 2
30/08/2001 at 11:17
Good effort!

Recovery - stretch lots, next day go for gentle walk/swim cycle. After event eat decent amount of carbs and protein to restore glycogen within an hour of finishing, then eat a big meal a couple of hours later.

Eating during the event - how long did you go for?
Steve Duffy 2
30/08/2001 at 13:04
Never. Well, sometimes rude ones.

"The nutrition thing is complicated, I like energy drinks, but there's a limit to how much energy you can absorb like that without compromising hydration - I wonder if Mr Duffy from On The Hill has any thoughts?"

I do, but it depends on the duration of the event - what sort of timescale are you talking Ms. Collins?
joan collins
30/08/2001 at 15:01
I did in in 3h16, and started to get really exhausted midway through the steepest bit (about 1 1/2 hours in). For perspective, the proper runners did it in about an hour less, and the people who walked it took about 8 hours. Normally, if I was walking for 3 hours I probably wouldn't eat at all, but for 8 hours I almost certainly would.
Steve Duffy 2
30/08/2001 at 15:14
Personally, for a 3hr or so event I'd eat shedloads the night before, shedloads on the morning and then drink lots of sugary coffee about 40 mins before the start. The caffeine boost will really make a difference to performance and it won't dehydrate you particularly over such a short period of time, especially if you drinksufficient fluids.

During the race I'd take on loads of water with a weak fruit juice or carbo mix and probably eat an energy bar or half a malt loaf 1 1/2 in.

That's what works for me anyhow...
Dave Parr
30/08/2001 at 15:21
And at the end of the day (and for several days following) a nice hour long soak in a hot bath followed by a good roast beef dinner.
joan collins
30/08/2001 at 15:26
Thanks Steve. That's a whole lot more than I actually consumed, and it sounds much more sensible. If I get round to do something like this again (and I'm quite tempted), I'll try out your suggestions.
Steve Duffy 2
30/08/2001 at 15:34
Sounds like you had an epic weekend and did really well - am jealous.

David - you forgot beer. And shouldn't you be over at Bike having Dan rip into you right about now...
Dave Parr
30/08/2001 at 15:37
I'm more of a G and T man where recovery is involved, but choose your own poison. And I am over at BIKE, but he seems to have given up, ho hum.
Jon Doran
30/08/2001 at 16:25
Dan seems quite restrained now. Perhaps he's ageing in some sort of accelerated fashion and can no longer be bothered (sorry 'arsed') with being totally offensive all the time.

I thought his little pink bike was sweet even if other people laughed at it.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Jon Doran
30/08/2001 at 16:30
Joan, maybe you could do a recovery test by treating the left and right halves of your body differently and seeing which one recuperates more efficiently? Might be difficult with the nutrition side of things, but one-legged cycling and hopping are all the rage these days.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

joan collins
31/08/2001 at 09:40
Well that certainly sounds more attractive than the anal heart rate monitoring you suggested earlier.

Mr Collins had no problems at all. Mind you he played cards in a mountain hut instead of doing the run, which is probably what I should have done too.
Jon Doran
31/08/2001 at 09:50
Well done Mr Collins, a man after my own heart. Incidenally Joan, I've been meaning to ask you for ages, but why do you carry both your trekking poles in one hand? Surely that's not good technique?

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

joan collins
31/08/2001 at 10:17
Well, I can't hold me pole in the same hand as me cig, now, can I ?
Dave Parr
31/08/2001 at 21:37
He seems to have taken a real dislike to me though, but I'd actually be worried if he didn't, accused me of being an old retrogrouch, which made me swell with pride, at the tender age of 21.
Rob Sutherland
05/09/2001 at 13:31
Aye, but then he is only 12 yrs old!!!

It does seem to be getting better again though.....
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