So did I get to rest my knee today? Nope! I was back at Battersea, fully taped up and ready to go. The good news? Apart from my knee - I was FINE! I was doing drills for most of the morning, and then just five quick 200m reps.
I haven't done 200m reps for ages - like, six months - and at the time I was running between 40 and 42 seconds off 2 minutes rest (at the end of a session after 12x 400m reps). Today I managed a 39 second, a 42 second, two 40 seconds and a final 42 second ...on a dodgy knee and after 70km going into my legs over the weekend! I don't really care about the times, because 200m is not exactly my speed right now, but what I really care about is that I am running comparable times after two heavy days ... which means (I hope) that my recovery strategies are working! Can I get a WOOP WOOP please!!
The thing is, this ultra-marathon lark is an exercise in "making things up and hoping like crazy it's going to work out". Every event is completely different - so in the ACC, I'm going to be running about 150km but it'll be over three days. Other events you might be running 50 miles on the flat on the road, or 84 miles across Hadrian's Wall. You can question people til you're blue in the face, and you can read every book in Waterstones and every blog on the interwebs, but it doesn't really help unless it's a blog/book about the exact same event you're doing, and the person writing said blog/book is at exactly the same level as you. All the things you pick up also have to fit into your life and around the commitments you have. Basically, when you're as much of a newbie as I am, no-one is down at your level and no-one can really give you advice without it seeming impossible to follow.
I am so so lucky to have George, who puts up with endless questions and at least pretends to take me seriously (sometimes). However, no matter what he tells me, I'm plagued with doubts ... he's done at least eleven ultramarathons that I can think of, he's in the Army, he's even done the UTMB with barely any running training (although he did a lot of CrossFit) ... basically, he's completely nails. Therefore, when he tells me what he thinks I can do, I wonder every time whether I can do it, or whether it's something that he can do, so he just assumes I can do it without realising how disparate our respective abilities are. I should say that every tip he's given me has been spot on, but that won't stop the doubts until I've actually done it for myself.
As well as George, I'm lucky enough to have so many inspiring friends in other endurance sports - two friends have just finished Ride Across Britain and - worryingly - most of my sporty friends have done a marathon. Three of my friends represent GB in their age group in triathlon, and - even more worryingly - I know about ten people who've done iron-distance triathlons. Therefore I'm not exactly lacking in resources and I can't thank my friends enough for all the help they've given me, not to mention the inspiration! But the one thing that none of them has had to do is do the distance one day, then get up and do it again the next day and again the next day with the one exception of my Ride Across Britain friends. Recovery, therefore, is something that I've really had to work out on my own.
As a result of having to make most of it up on the fly, therefore, no-one is more surprised than I am when something actually does work out because I have to take everyone's tips and then work out for myself what works and what doesn't. . Here are the things I've learned over the last seven weeks which work for me.
- Wearing compression tights and socks are fantastic just after a run and during a run. I am in love with my 2XU compression socks for running in.
- However, to sleep in recovery kit doesn't work for me (though it does for Julia, one of my RAxB buddies and Rosh, one of my Ironmen) - it just makes me unable to sleep.
- Speaking of sleep, IT IS A.MAZ.ING. I can't say enough how much I love my bed right now. Bed is AWESOME.
- A milky drink before bed is an absolute must ... but not too much of it, or I'll be up all night on the loo! My friend Jess tells me that this is because it's got casein in it, so it repairs your muscles while you sleep. Love that.
- S!Caps are amAZing for letting me recover properly! They are my new favorite discovery (thanks Michelle).
- A protein drink as soon as possible after I'm done seems to help ... I'm not sure if this is purely psychological since sometimes, um, Yazoo has filled this function and I'm not sure that Yazoo has any protein in it whatsoever. It's not even milk - it's a "milk drink". But mentally I think it helps.
- I need to take at least 1500mg of magnesium on heavy running days (DRD 320mg?! Ha!) or I'll start to cramp.
- A hot bath after I've trained is beyond amazing. It is HEAVEN. I know people recommend icebaths, but that is never going to happen for me. It's not enough that I've run 45km, you want me to get into a bin full of ice?! Naff off.
- Keeping my feet elevated and stretched out is amazing for feeling better quickly. Lying down is even better. I love lying down.
- Getting cold is terrible! Both while out on the course and, even worse, after it. I absolutely cannot ever let this happen or I end up being unable to warm up. I have to take at least a full change for my top half to avoid getting clammily cold after a run (the shorts seem to be fine, it's just the top half).
- I like furry/soft/fleecy/woolly things on my skin after I'm done. Not in a weird way. Just in a comforting, my-feet-are-getting-hugged-by-Ugg-boots-and-my-aching-body-is-wrapped-in-a-fleece kinda way. Important stuff psychologically. In a perfect world I would be being hugged by someone else wearing the furry woolly stuff, but one cannot have everything.
So there are my top recovery tips! I can't say that they'll work for everyone - please, if you fancy jumping into an ice-bath, be my guest - but it is what works for me, it seems, judging by my performance today. So I am happy! I am also happy 'cause my sketchy knee has reduced to almost knee-size. Well done my knee!!!!
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