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Would you like to boost your recovery time over the next 24 hours?

In a previous post I talked about the four major ways to boost recovery time.

In this article I break down each step with the exact ways that allow me to go from so sore I cant walk one day, to able to run the next. If you haven’t read the general guide on how to boost recovery time, please jump back and read it now.

This has been a great way for me to go from so sore I cant walk one day to doing a workout the next, the faster you recover/get stronger the faster you can rinse an repeat, getting better each cycle. This method continues to prove itself to me time and time again, the most recent time being just last friday as I prepped for a big Division 2 college track meet. The meet was a complete success for me and I give credit to the time and effort I’ve spent working on this muscle recovery method to get my legs back 100% before the races.

A Muscle Recovery Pyramid

Note: These methods are in order according to how constantly you should be doing them, not the order. This guide works best when all 4 steps are combined for a 24+ hour time period.

Reading books and learning via word of mouth there are tons of suggested ways to stay hydrated; what to drink, how much, when, where, what temperature should the water be ect ect. Too many rules, in fact; for instance wikihow.com states that one should carry water with you everywhere, keep a glass of water next you you. In addition to this your suggested to wear a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour (to make sure you remember to drink water of course) + a water purification system and more…

This is an introduction to a new way to go about getting hydrated that is much more custom fit per runner rather than a by-the-book, one size fits all philosophy.

The easiest way to find how much water you need is by staying away from the symptoms of dehydration. If you have no symptoms of dehydration, by default; you are perfectly hydrated. Here are the top things to watch for.

1. Feeling thirsty? Drink a little extra, the rule of thumb here is that if you are feeling thirsty you are already suffering from the first signs of dehydration. Some people get thirsty faster than others, hence some people dehydrate faster, whatever your case drink enough during the day so that you avoid being thirsty/ having dry mouth.
2. Cramping- This is much easier noticed in runners/athletes because lactic acid will flow much more freely and soreness will occur much more quickly. Athletes will notice more tightness in muscles and that it takes longer to get warmed up. People that run less, or less than they should will might still notice an overall muscular weakness or cramping in the arms and legs.
3. The urine check- believe it or not but this is actually one of the most efficient ways to check your dehydration level. I’m not going to go into great detail on this but on a 1 to 10 scale urine that is a dark yellow, has and oder and/or is painful during excretion is considered fully dehydrated (a 10). As one is less dehydrated pain will cease during urination and the odor and color will lessen until an optimum 1 level is reached. At a 1 level on this simple test urine should have no oder and should be clear as water or have an extremely light yellow tint. This is literally one of the most efficient and downright easiest ways to check your dehydration level.

A lot of people have interesting, even weird rituals when it comes to eating before a run.  I knew a runner who would chow down on a huge breakfast before her race as her race ritual. However, another runner couldn’t eat within 4hrs of her run without feeling nauseous and/or vomiting. It really comes down to what you are comfortable with in your stomach before that first step.

While this is true, ask yourself these questions:

What kind of run are you about to do?

If it is just a nice easy run, your stomach will be less likely to be disturbed as it digests its food and wont be bothered so much. However if your run is a pound-into-the-ground speed workout/race its needless to say your stomach wont be so appreciative.

What kind of food are you eating?

Light foods such as grains and fruits will be easier to digest while you run than lactose and meat products and bananas. Fruits tend to be able to be absorbed into the system easily and grains will absorb water and not slosh around as much.

On the other hand, lactose products are already hard on your digestive system and meats will sit in your stomach like a rock that grinds your stomach walls. I throw bananas in that mix because they take up to 12 hours to digest. Also, In the past before a major workout I ate two bananas at the same time I would eat any other meal before a workout. However, halfway through the workout it was VERY clear they were still in my stomach and utilizing a lot of blood for digestion. Bad idea.