Running Mommy (a.k.a. Denise) I've an Iron question for you...

[Tri Girl]

Hey Denise,
How are you doing post Ironman? I've been thinking about you lately (as I'm getting geared up for my race).

I was wanting to know something. We're probably somewhere around the same physical level (not elite and not beginner) and I was wondering one major thing about the iron distance: how long is recovery afterward? I know that after a marathon, I need a good month before I can run anything over 4 miles, and I take a complete week off after the race to recover. How much time did you take off after the race? All the books I have only deal with training/getting ready for the event. None of them really address what to do once the race is over. Do you take a month off (just doing light workouts), do you take one day for every mile you race (like a marathon), that means 140 days "off." After doing the killer workouts in training, did you find that you gained some weight after the race when your weekly workout sessions fell extremely short of where they were pre-race?

Hmmmm....I'm very confused. What worked for you? Please give me all your wisdom and knowledge. It's WAY better than book knowledge, and I know I can trust your honesty.
Thanks for your help!


oh, I also did my longest bike yet (60 miles) yesterday and then ran an hour brick off the bike. Surprisingly not sore today. I give credit to the ice bath after (has always worked for me for some reason). I'm excited to do more of this...

I met a guy at my race last weekend that did IMAZ in April with you. He was so upset- said it was the crappiest swag bag he's ever gotten. He said for an ironman entry fee he was expecting nicer fluff in the race packets. Interesting...

[Running Mommy]

hey Tri Girl...
Thats funny about the guy that did IMAZ not liking the swag.. Personally I noticed the expo to be lacking. But I figure thats what you get with such an early season race. Plus we need to gain the oomph that IM lake placid, and Canada have to get the real good sponsors..
Ok, to address the question... And let me tell you, I had no idea what to do post IM, so I played it by ear.
First off I took two weeks totally off. I did nothing. I had a really blistered left foot, so for the first week I was hobbling anyway.
The wierd thing was I FELT fine other than the blistered foot. I FELT like I could have gone for a ride or run. It was much different from my marys I've done in the past. But I think in reality my body was in fullon recovery mode..

The first ride was pretty eye opening. I rode for about 45 minutes feeling pretty strong when WHAM fatigue hit me and hit me HARD!! It was like somebody had zapped me of all my energy in an INSTANT. I literally limped my bike home.
My first run was 4 miles of misery. I felt sooo out of shape I could hardly believe it. I mean I had just done an IRONMAN??!!! And for the next week that was about how it went. I ended up only running 3 milers and riding for no more than an hour. When I hit the 4th week post IM I started getting my spunk back, but it took time. I've heard from my IM friends that you really have to listen to your body during that time. One of my friends tried to push it and ended up with a fatigue so deep that she developed cronic fatigue syndrome and it lasted for MONTHS! And I've heard that from alot of people. That you really need to take it slow and not do anything hardcore for at least a month. And only push when your body tells you it's ok. For me that was about a month. Now I'm pretty much back to normal workouts, though I have no desire to go long at this point. I think that also has to do w/ the fact that it's summer- in Phoenix- and to go long I'd have to get up at 0 dark 30!! I'm NOT a morning person!!
As for the weight.. UGH!! I feel like SUCH a TUB at this point!!! I feel like I'm gaining weight at a rapid clip!! And I don't have ANY room for that! Lets just say I'm going to be joining the local WW group here this week. I have to get my eating in check. During training I had this HUGE apettite and while I needed to be LOSING at least I wasn't gaining. Well now the training volume has been cut in half, but I'm having trouble doing that with the food portions. I need to reign myself in!! So off to visit the friendly folks at weight watchers!!
Hope this helps!
Denise
p.s. I have some video's I made of me at the Ironman. If you would like a copy I'd be glad to send you one. Just PM or email me your address.

[Tri Girl]

Thank you so very much for the experienced advice!!! I truly appreciate your insight and help! Coming from someone normal, like me, I take your advice much more to heart than from an elite who does this for a living (it's hard to take advice to heart from someone who doen't exactly have the same body types/fitness level/genetics). I'll plan on eating and working out exactly half of what I do pre-race.

I need to join WW again (was lifetime with a 30 lb loss- now I'm at only a 15 lb loss )! Seriously, I'm working my butt off (you know, 13-16 hour workout weeks- and it's early in the race season- just wait until July when I'm up to 17-20 hour workout weeks). I haven't lost a pound in 12 weeks (in fact, I've gained some). I know some of it's muscle, but really, I should've lost something by now. It's hard to eat the way a "real" athlete does. I love crappy food way too much! Grrrrrr... frustrating.

I grew up in Yuma, so I understand what those hot summers are like (heck, hot winters, falls, springs, etc...) Even here, summer training is not so much fun, but I keep telling myself that I'll be racing in the early morning cool, during the heat of the day, and into the cool at night- so I need to train in it all to get acclimated (especially the heat). I ran trails today in 98 degree heat- but you're probably well over 100 on a consistent basis by now. I have sympathy for you. I remember back in 1989 or 1990 when we expereienced that crazy summer of some 120+ degree days. I sure don't miss that at all.... stay cool!!!!

I would LOVE to see your IM tape!!! I feel like I've gotten to know you (and I was following you on race day), so I'd love to see you at the race. It makes me all the more sure that I can do this when I see another normal person accomplishing this goal. Our RD said that the finish line will be open until the last person crosses, and their time will be official. Last year the last person to finish was at 2 am. At least I know I can take as much time as I need, although I REALLY don't want to be out there exercising for more time than I have to. 17 hours will be enough, thank you very much. I usually don't stay awake for 17 hours a day, let alone be moving the entire time.

Thanks again for your insight! I will take it and store it in my ironman training journal.
Have a great week, and thanks for all your help!!!

I'll send you my e-mail addy right now. Thanks!

[KSH]

I need to join WW again (was lifetime with a 30 lb loss- now I'm at only a 15 lb loss )! Seriously, I'm working my butt off (you know, 13-16 hour workout weeks- and it's early in the race season- just wait until July when I'm up to 17-20 hour workout weeks). I haven't lost a pound in 12 weeks (in fact, I've gained some). I know some of it's muscle, but really, I should've lost something by now. It's hard to eat the way a "real" athlete does. I love crappy food way too much! Grrrrrr... frustrating.

I hear you!

I gained 8 pounds after I started back training for triathlons... and I can't get it off. And I know you might think that is nothing... but it's the difference between my clothes being comfortable and too tight.

Now, I will say that I haven't worked that hard to get it off...but dang... I can't eat 1600-1800 calories a day (what I need to do to lose it)... AND go ride 20-40 miles that day or the next.

I tried to not eat too much food this past Thursday and Friday... and my Saturday morning ride SUCKED. My body was drained...and I had a headache all day long. Lesson learned.

As far as eating like an athlete... I feel your pain on that too! I try to... but being a vegetarian... the healthy veggie stuff does not fill me up for long! But, if I go eat out or get Taco Bueno... I feel FULL. And I don't have to eat again in the next 2 hours.

[Lise]

Hey, trigirl,

Just jumping in--I have no practical experience to offer. What IM are you planning to do? When is it? It was so much fun following and then cheering for Denise that I am delighted to hear we have another IM-to-be in our midst.

Denise, do you want me to return the most recent DVD you sent me? If not, I'll keep it, and brag you up to my family and friends!

L.

[colby]

You know, after reading your post, I realized that in a lot of training materials (books and such) that I've read, they focus a lot on how to train, how to taper, what to do on race day, what to do DURING the race, but they don't tell you what's next. How do you eat in recovery? How do you keep your fitness level but still recover? How do you avoid overworking yourself too soon, but avoid the depression that can come with not working out at all?

I ran a half marathon on memorial day weekend (which seems short when we're talking Ironman ) -- usually when I do longer training runs (or bricks), which for running either way right now is 8-15 miles, I take the day before and the day after off, and pace myself pretty well. Before the HM, I took two days off. During the HM, I pushed a little harder than training days, especially in the last couple of miles, and the entire experience totally drained me. I tried taking 2 days off and running my normal path (even less) and I was useless. Totally useless. I couldn't even get my heart rate up my muscles were so sad. It was like that all week, and I still hurt all of last week in my knees/ankles/shins (part of the HM course was at a slope, argh). Finally, today, I feel like I'm over almost all of the signs... and it's been two weeks. I checked in a couple of books I had, and nobody told me to EXPECT this

I hope to do an Iron(wo)Man someday, especially after reading your guys' stories and thoughts. I look forward to reading Tri Girl's success story -- just training and mentally committing is a success in and of itself

PS, Tri Girl, when's the race?

[Tri Girl]

Colby, congrats on your half mary!!! Sounds like it was a great effort, and you should be extremely proud of yourself!!!!

You are right on about recovery. It's hard to know what to do. Nobody seems to address that. I actually found some info on Hal Higdon's website and utilized it after my last mary (www.halhigdon.com). It said what to do in the 4 weeks post mary. As long as you ease back into it as your body allows, you'll return to running in no time, and your body will be fully ready.
I ran a half mary in late April, and although I ran much slower than normal, it was a very tough race. I was more sore after that half than the last full I ran. I decided it was because my avg HR was 90% of max. Some days are just bad runs...

My race is Sept. 23rd. I'm getting excited, and yet also nervous. I realize it's still 14 weeks away, but it's closing in.... I rode half the course (it's a 2 loop 56 mile course) on Saturday and felt more at ease. I guess that's a benefit of doing a race literally in my backyard. I'll know every bump, hill, and twist of that course.

[colby]

Colby, congrats on your half mary!!! Sounds like it was a great effort, and you should be extremely proud of yourself!!!!

Thanks, Tri Girl!

My race is Sept. 23rd. I'm getting excited, and yet also nervous. I realize it's still 14 weeks away, but it's closing in.... I rode half the course (it's a 2 loop 56 mile course) on Saturday and felt more at ease. I guess that's a benefit of doing a race literally in my backyard. I'll know every bump, hill, and twist of that course.

We have an Ironman in this area, and even if I don't have it in my sights just yet, I've already considered doing part of the course just to be familiar with it. Much nicer to be able to go over the course in your head and make a mental map than it is to go in a little blind... that way when you get to something like the hill that was just after the last hill, you can say "this is the last one for a while" instead of getting frustrated

14 weeks will go by in a flash!

[triflor]

Tri Girl, you've still got a while for your race. Lake Placid is in 38 days, I'm so scared! OT, I noticed your 'Run for the prize, Phil. 3', that's awesome, my favourite chapter!

As far as post ironman stuff goes I'll try to let you know after LP is over. But my mum did it a couple years ago and she did a sprint distance about a month later. Otherwise she kept it low key, lots of walking. Apparently the day after she had a hard time with things like stairs, and she would be super hungry eat two bites of her meal and be full.