Bringing Healthy Back

The other day one of my athletes asked me how I kept from getting sick while training day to day. The answer is not simple and it’s not the same for everyone.

What most athletes do not recognize is that working out is just that – work. When you train for events and place higher physical demands on your body it is a stress. Too much stress over time depresses your immune system and places you at risk for getting sick. Therefore, it is important to balance stress with recovery in order to stay balanced and healthy.

Too many athletes burn the candle at both ends; trying to juggle work, family, spouse, children, social activities and triathlon. It is important to admit that you can’t do it all and you can’t be everything to everyone. With increased training – especially training for longer distance events – there has to be a give. You will have to back off on some things so you are able to not just give more to the training – but give more to the recovery that allows you to absorb and benefit from the training.

Here are a few helpful hints for avoiding illness and fatigue:

Follow a plan

Too many athletes follow the day by day approach to training – if it’s a nice day out, they train long and hard. If it’s not so nice, they don’t train. Over time this leads to injury, burnout and fatigue. Not only that but the lack of organization and structure won’t do much to help you reach your goals. Do your season and yourself a favor, hire or consult with an experienced coach to help design a plan that meets your needs.

Get more sleep

During sleep your body releases human growth hormone. HGH aids in the recovery process. Not only that but during sleep you simply rest! Do not get up early to cram a workout in if you have to skimp on sleep. You would be better off skipping that workout and sleeping more instead.

Take recovery seriously

Improvements in fitness are made not in the workouts we do but in the rest we take after those workouts to absorb the work, recover and then progress. After a hard workout or a race, don’t go hiking with the family, take on a home improvement project, or resod the lawn. Save these activities for your easier days or rest weeks. Keep in mind that work is work. The body does not file “training work” separately from “yard work”. It’s all the same work. And the fact that you did training work first means that when you go to tackle that yard work you are already stressed and depleted. Save it for another day.

Food is your friend

In terms of staying healthy and recovering quickly, food is your friend. The 30 minutes after a workout are most critical for recovery. Often athletes are jumping from one activity to the next and consequently missing out on this critical period. Skipping meals, filling up on sugary or highly processed foods, or waiting too long to eat after workouts are all surefire ways to sabotage your recovery and negatively impact the hard training you do. If you want to get the most of out of your training and recovery you must supply your body with high quality food at the right interval after a workout and throughout the day.

Stay off the sauce

Alcohol not only dehydrates you but also robs you of quality sleep. Simply put, stay away from the sauce. A glass here or there is fine – but social outings that involve more than a few drinks more often than once a month have no place in training plans. If you are willing to sacrifice the quality of your next day’s workout and your health then by all means have a few drinks. However, if you are serious about your health and success – stay away.

Steer clear of “sicky” situations

Bars, parties, schools – during your high volume training weeks or race weeks – are potentially “sicky” situations. If you must be around large groups, children, social situations then be sure to wash your hands often to avoid the transmission of germs.

Don’t skip the stretch

Make time to stretch at least 2 – 3 times per week. Whether stretching improves your flexibility is debatable but it does force you to stop, relax and focus on yourself. Take 15 – 20 minutes before bed or after a workout to stretch your body out.

Avoid self-sabotage

Our weakness is that we are all just human. We are not superhuman. As such, you cannot be everything to everyone and you cannot do everything. Avoid self-sabotage by saying no to commitments that take away time from recovery, nutrition and rest. Be careful with how you plan your days. Don’t save workouts until the last minute. Don’t skip key workouts. Don’t add workouts.

Less is more

Keep in mind that more often than not in training – less is more. Cramming in extra workouts, time or intensity are all ways to place yourself at risk for sickness or injury. Always err on the side of conservative. It is best to go into a race a little undertrained than overtrained. If you have a coach, follow their advice and follow the plan.

Most athletes do the right amount of training but they often do the wrong amount of recovery. Make the time to recover more rather than train more. The more seriously you take your recovery, the more you will benefit from your training over time. Remember, with poor nutrition, sleep deprivation, added intensity, drinking – you essentially undo all of the good work you do in training. Take the time to make time for yourself and your health so your training can lead you to a healthy, successful race day.