Recovery

[Miranda]

How long does it take you to recover from a ride / work-out?

To make a long story short, I've been thinking I need to give myself more time to recover. However, I would like to find ways to help speed this process up, so I may enjoy riding / working-out again more / sooner.

I realize there will be a lot of variances (age, current fitness level, etc.), and variables (type of riding, exercise intensity, etc.) that will impact one's recovery. But, I thought some overall discussion would be helpful.

I know with Spring finally coming here in the Midwest, I would like to make the most of my cycling season. And I must confess, recovery has been a part of my training I have given the least amount of focus to...and I am now realizing perhaps it needs to be the most.

[Veronica]

My current weekly schedule

Sat: Run and swim
Sun: Outdoor ride
Mon: AM Upper Body/Core trainer session PM yoga
Tues: AM Run PM hard Spinervals
Wed. AM Legs/Plyometrics trainer session PM yoga
Thurs.AM Run PM easier video
Fri: More yoga or nothing

I don't always get in the second cardio session if I have a meeting after work. For yoga I use a video, Yoga for Triathletes and it's really just good stretching. Now after a really hard ride or long run I will soak in cold water and then put on my compression tights. Especially if I have something tough planned for the next day.

I think because I'm mixing it up so much, recovery is easier. When I was just training for double centuries I would have specific recovery ride days either on the trainer with a video or outside.

Veronica

[Sky King]

A big part of recovery for me is taking the time to stretch and to use my foam roller. Oh and I have started to drink 8 oz of electrolyte before I go to bed, seems to help with leg cramps.
I usually have one day of the week that I don't exercise. But again, I am not a competitive athlete, just somebody who likes to be active

[Crankin]

I also have one day a week where I do nothing. Sometimes, though, if I am really stiff on that day, I do a light spin on the trainer in the winter, or I go for a walk/do yoga in the riding season. Other weeks, I take two rest days, and one has light exercise. It really depends on what else I am doing besides riding. Recovery gets more important as I age, but I've never been able to do the level of intensity that others do without some kind of issue. For me, it's not always injury, but more the stresses all this stuff puts on my immune system. I have learned the hard way, believe me.
I am pretty bad about stretching, but I do use the foam roller and try to do up dogs for my lower back. My issues come when I try to run and ride; my legs just are too sore or heavy from running to do long rides or climbing and continue to go to my fitness classes twice a week, which is really important to me. I've had compression tights for a few years and they don't seem to do anything.

[OakLeaf]

+1 on the self-myofascial release (foam roller, Stick, rolling pin, lacrosse ball, etc) and compression hose.

Also no one's yet mentioned recovery nutrition, which I think is the most important part of it. The window starts closing 30 minutes after your workout ends, and closes in 2 hours. So, as soon as I get back from a long run, I'm fixing my recovery shake with carbs to replenish muscle glycogen and protein to help muscles rebuild. I stretch *while* I'm fixing and drinking it. Then I *try* to get a full meal within 2 hours.

And yeah. It's pretty well established that no matter how fit you are, everyone's recovery time increases as we get older. It'll mean different things to different people, but none of us in our 50s and above are going to be able to get the greatest benefit by working out with the same frequency as we did in our 20s and 30s. You hear people say "I've been doing the same thing for the last 30 years," and that's great that they can still do it and not get injured, but odds are they'd be even stronger and faster if they took more recovery time.

[kacie tri-ing]

I think that GOOD sleep and some active recover (zone 1 heart rate or below) really help me. Extra water, eating right, and extra sleep! Good luck!

[Veronica]

Yeah, I forgot about sleep. I plan my life around getting 8 hours of sleep, or more, a night.

Veronica