End of season recovery
It is important each year to have an adequate recovery from the hard training undertaken during the year.
Running is an impact sport and as such takes considerably more time to recover than most other sports which do not have the amount of impact experienced by runners.
Injuries are commonplace amongst track runners and of course long distance runners but we are primarily interested in the track.
The best method of recovery is extended rest but of course we have to balance that with our desire not to lose too much of the fitness we have developed during the year. It becomes a fine balancing act.
Injuries can happen all year round and often for no apparent reason but even then it will likely be due to long term stresses on the body.
We can do many things to minimise these injuries and these include;
*adequate rest- this can be all year round and extended period at the end of the season
*technique improvement
* the development of strength and power
*the inclusion of recovery sessions—this can be a long but slower run for the longer runners, a steady state effort on the stationery bike or water running. Or it can be more rest days or more days between hard sessions on the track. It may even include running in flats most of the year.
At this time of the year some of you have finished your competitive season due to injury or the fact you will not be going to the world indoors or the nationals.
That means adequate rest should be high on your agenda;
*rest may mean a few weeks off altogether from the track and that can up to one month. This extra time is more applicable if you have some injury or niggling problems which should be fixed completely before heading back to do track work.
*the types of things you should do during this period if you simply can’t give it all away are- water running, stationery bike, walking, hiking, gym, stretching, swimming, kayaking, tennis or any activity that is not impact running.
In short returning to the track too soon after the season can lead to more extensive overuse injuries later-on. The only adequate reason to not have a rest now is that you have had plenty of time off already due to injury, holidays or rest already..
PC - Sprintforce
