I like training. I’m good at it. I like the structure and the challenges of each workout and I’m really good at following through on whatever workout I have prescribed. Something I am not good at is looking after all the details that help make that training successful. I’m sure you’ve heard by now the saying “training makes you worse, recovery makes you better.” Well, one of my biggest goals for this coming year is to pay more attention to the details of recovery.
In cycling, races come down to photo finishes, and on the track in particular, races are won and lost by thousandths of a second. Thousandths of a second! That is such a small margin of error, why wouldn’t you pay equally as much attention to all aspects of your training and recovery? This hit especially close to home for me this year at track nationals when 4/100s of a second kept me out of the sprint tournament, maybe I should have closed my mouth?!
This year, I want to give myself every advantage possible, and make the most out of my training by putting more focus into the details.
Details I’m working on:
- Sleep. For me, having a regular sleep schedule is key. My body gets out of wack if I go to bed at different times every night. So, goal 1, bedtime at 7pm every night. Well, maybe not quite that early…
- Protein. This is a HUGE one for me, as I definitely do not get enough protein in my diet. This leads to my muscles being really sore after hard training, and makes it more difficult to recover for the next workout. Current research suggests that athletes get between 1.5-2.0 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. For me, that means I need to add a protein powder supplement to my diet (in the form of a delicious smoothie!). Hammer makes two great protein powders- Soy or Whey– both with their own benefits (soy has proven to benefit the cardiovascular system and whey is rapidly absorbed and helps rebuild lean muscle). Check out this article to learn a bit more.
- Post ride recovery. I’m sure you’ve heard the value of getting food into your system soon after a hard workout or race. You have about a 20 minute window to help get your recovery jumpstarted in the right direction. For some people, a solid meal that soon after a hard effort can be hard to stomach- my favorite is Subtle Strawberry Recoverite. Something I neglect is getting real food in my system shortly after that. It can be the difference between feeling good and feeling terrible- so I’m going to work on getting a good solid meal in after hard efforts.
- Bike maintenance. I am notoriously pretty bad about this. I totally forget to pay any attention to my bike until something is wrong. That is pretty dumb, and I’m working on doing things like checking the condition of my chain (much less expensive to replace a worn out chain than the whole drive train!), checking my tires for wear (before flatting 5 times in a row!). Changing your bar tape before it looks ragged and dirty is a good plan too.
- Wearing my compression tights. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical about them when everyone first started wearing them- but when I slid into my first pair, I was sold. They just make your legs feel so good! HSP carries two brands, 2XU and Skins – and I have one pair of each. If you are traveling or on your feet all day, they make your legs feel much fresher. Since we keep the gym cold for people working out, they also add an extra layer of warmth for me when I’m sitting behind the desk. If you’re not ready to take the plunge for full tights- check out the socks!
- Taking care of my health. If your body is run down, you’re more likely to pick up a cold that can leave you feeling run down. Usually, once a year I get some kind of strep throat or cold that leaves me down for the count. This year, I really don’t want that to happen. I’m popping the C’s (Vitamin C, that is) and taking a multi-vitamin every day, and making sure to stay well hydrated. I’m also taking a fish oil capsule as a means to help reduce inflammation. The Carlson Norwegian Salmon Oil that we carry is great because it only has Omega 3. Our bodies need both Omega 3 and 6 and a lot of fish oil capsules have both in them, which isn’t bad, but Omega 6 is more commonly found in your daily diet and has actually been shown to make it more difficult to absorb the Omega 3. Without the Omega 6, it is easier to absorb the benefits of Omega 3 (including: prolonged endurance, anti-inflammatory properties and cardiovascular benefits).
- Stretching. I’m lazy about stretching. When I’m in the gym, I’m usually pretty good about stretching or using theTrigger Point tools to help loosen me up- but after rides, I slack. I know for a fact that it makes a difference in how my body feels, and I am going to work to make sure it is a part of my daily routine. The Trigger Point tools are awesome, because how often do you have someone willing to give you a massage after every workout? This way you can do it yourself.
There are many other details you can pay attention to, and each detail is important. The off-season is the perfect time to improve upon good habits and make even better ones. What details do you overlook?
