Wednesday 30 July 2014

Recovery Tips and Tricks

I touched on a few of my recovery tips and tricks a little while back (check out my post here), but thought I would give a bit more detail on my personal recovery strategies. What works for each individual will always be different, but these are a few strategies I rely on.

1) A good cool down- I always try to finish a run with 1/2-1km of gentle walking to bring my heart rate down and help my muscles to relax

2) Stretching- I focus on my hip flexors, calves, glutes and quads as they are all problem areas for me. I find about 3 minutes per stretch works wonderfully.

3) Protein- My personal favourite is Dextro After Sports Recovery Drink, but another tried and tested favourite is chocolate milk! Whatever works for you, but you want to get some proteins and carbs into your body within about 30 minutes of finishing your workout.

4) Depending on the intensity of the session, I will sometimes have an ice bath. It sounds brutal, but it works wonders for me.

5) Compression- I love my 2XU elite compression tights, but I also wear 2XU compression socks

6) Bath with epsom salts- If i am still feeling a little tight the next day, a warm bath with epsom salts really helps.

7) Foam Rolling/Rolling with a spikey ball- I have a spikey ball that I swear by, and often roll the arches or my feet, calves and hip flexors if I still have a little tightness the next day.

What is your recovery magic trick?

Ash :)

Disclaimer: I was not compensation for this post in anyway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Saturday 26 July 2014

First Official Dopey Training Run!

Yesterday I completed my first official Dopey Training Run!

An easy 10km was the start of what I hope will be a focused and ultimately successful training series. I am super nervous so any words of encouragement would be appreciated. It is going to be a tough slog but it will be worth it when I get there!

I have my training plan all printed off and I am ready to get stuck into it. I can be a bit lazy so I am sticking the training plan up next to my bed so every morning when I wake up it will be there staring in my face saying 'RUN LAZY BONES' and hopefully I will be able to say 'Sure thing!' Dopey is going to be my first marathon so some people probably think I have bitten off more than I can chew but life is short so you have to take opportunities when they come up and make the most of them.

28 sweet weeks of Jeff Galloway training goodness!

Say something nice to keep me motivated! Please!

Ash :)

Wednesday 9 July 2014

Stadium Stomp 2014

Well! I know I have been absent for a few weeks and I have no excuses other than I have been enjoying some amazing holiday time with my family. I love running, but I love my family a whole lot more, so being able to relax and spend some real quality time with them has been amazing.

While on holidays though (back home in Melbourne), it wouldn't have been a great holiday unless I snuck in a little race or something somewhere. So, Stadium Stomp 2014 it was! I completed it last year and had a ball, so making the decision to go again was a pretty easy one (see my blog about it here).

I decided to complete the full course just as I had done last year, and turned up and registered on the day (it actually worked out perfectly as my partner had to work that morning anyway), and watched a very cute on field proposal as I waited for my wave to start. I was little nervous, but knowing exactly what to expect, and knowing I had completed it last year made it A LOT easier!

I took it easy at the start knowing what was ahead- a few people commented as we finished level 1 and moved onto level 4 about being half way. Even though it does feel like half way because you have finished 1 of the 2 levels, in terms of stairs- you are only just over 1/4 of the way. It was great knowing what was ahead of me and it really helped me to pace myself so I could complete the challenge but finished with essentially no gas in the tank. I broke it into mental sections (green chairs, brown chairs, blue chairs) and counted how many sets of 'up' stairs until the next colour section of the stadium. Before I knew it I was nearing the end, and I was feeling it. I mean feeling it. My legs were shaking with every step and I was so looking forward to sitting down!

I pushed hard and I finished in under 1.5 hours, and I think it was faster than last year (but not 100% on that one). I was pretty pleased with myself after no specific stair training and just deciding on the day before to complete it.

I would 100% recommend Stadium Stomp to everyone, whether it be the half or full course. It is an awesome day out with a great atmosphere and provides an awesome challenge to people of various fitness levels. A big thumbs up from me Stadium Stomp!

Feeling very accomplished at the end of the day!

Do you often decide to do a race on short notice?

Ash :)