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Rest & recovery are critical to successs Rest and recovery is often a neglected part in runners' diaries. It seems to me that many runners are accepting and expecting injuries almost as part of their training programs. That doesn't need to be the case. I was told early on in my career that it takes more guts to take a day off than to train hard. Diciplined and dedicated runners like yourselves should keep those words in mind. Jack, my husband and coach, always told me that it is not the runner who trains the hardest that wins races, but the runner who trains the smartest. I learned that the hard way. What gives you success and improvement is the simple concept of hard work followed by recovery. To improve strength and endurance you have to stress the muscles and then let them rest. The trouble with most runners is that the rest part is neglected. Speedwork, races, long runs or weekly increased milage is a lot of stress, and without appropriate rest in between you will find yourself sidelined with an injury or being overtrained. I've been there and as I age I have to make adjustments in my training to be sure I am incorporating enough rest. Since I have never gotten old before it is often guesswork, and I make mistakes mostly because I used to be able to get away with so much. You must rest before and after all long runs, speed workouts and races. You all work full time and may have limited time on weekdays, but don't make up for it by squeezing in hard days on both Saturday and Sunday. Keep in mind that hard work plus rest equals faster times. Getting enough sleep is important. I know many of you don't get eight hours, which is what you really need when you are in training. And if you think sleeping late on the weekends will fill up an empty sleep bank, you are wrong. In most cases it will disturb your sleep patterns. If you run late in the evening, you may have difficulties falling asleep. You should have at least three hours after exercise before you go to bed. Nutrition is also part of recovery. Your body is under a lot of stress when you are running and you are expecting a lot from your system, and no second rate fuel will retstore the balance. The right food and fluids will speed up recovery. If you want to have a great race in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, rest, recovery and balance are crucial. When I ran competetively I noticed that many runners went into races without giving themselves the necessary rest to get their best result. Before a race of non-marathon distance I always had three easy days before a race and after the race I gave myself two easy days to recover. A few closing tips to help you embrace the importance of rest and recovery:
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