In an attempt to provide true insight into the more important factors that make up peak sporting performance, I'm going to document my own experiences preparing for and recovering from a long distance endurance event. In my case, it is the 2014 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. What follows is the final installment of what I hope will provide an insightful look into the mind of an ordinary bloke who, while extremely competitive in nature, competes for the love of the activity and the process. Attaining one's desired results doesn't have to be all blood and guts, it really can be fun and pain free!
“Take one easy day for every mile raced.”
Jack Foster, New Zealand Olympic Marathoner
The period immediately after a major endurance competition is certainly an interesting time. No matter the personal result, conflicting emotions and thoughts run amok through the heads of many athletes, myself included. What if I had trained harder? I should have gone with the group? I sucked on the hills. The list of random, rational and irrational thoughts pertaining to the actual event is endless. In my experience though, both through my own sporting pursuits and playing a direct support role to others, one of the recurring emotions in the days post-race is a slight depression that tends to set in. Not too severe but a sense of flatness, where the athlete often asks “what now?”
Once again, the Triangle of Health is critical in maintaining optimal health and fitness in the aftermath of a peak athletic performance. Let’s take a slightly closer - and anecdotal – look at the three components making up this triangle specific to post-race living:
Emotional
Having had the privilege to work with elite athletes from time to time has afforded me the greatest of insight. In March this year, one such athlete related how she was actually looking forward to working on a tutorial for her dental studies. After over a week of maximum physical and mental effort, immersing herself in something unrelated to her professional sporting career rejuvenated her mind, the positive spin-off being a fresh start to the demands of the World Cup Mountain Bike circuit.
Having something planned in the days, weeks or months immediately after a major sporting goal is a great way to maintain composure and prevent depression. It can be anything and preferably, as per the above example, unrelated to actual sporting goals.
Structural
The human body is tougher than many may think. Take Mick Jagger for instance: after decades of using, abusing and “contortionist-ing”, the fact that Jagger is still walking is a testament to the wonder that is the ideal that is daily living.
That said, athletes of levels are masters of abusing their own bodies. Remember that vigourous physical activity is just another form of stress, the same stress that we experience in everyday life through work, family, where to shop etc.
The weeks after a maximum effort like a marathon are perhaps even more critical than those preceding. Even if an athlete is feeling good in the days after twenty six point two miles, the accumulated fatigue and plethora of tiny muscle tears need time to rejuvenate and repair.
This is not to say the daily exercise should cease. Slower than usual movement helps accelerate the recovery process, as does increased hours of sleep.
Biochemical
Extreme effort means extreme depletion and it is normal for the human body to kick into a state of over-compensation. Take a look around the finish area of a major long distance cycling event and you might notice the prevalent of salt stains on rider’s shorts and jerseys. Mineral depletion and dehydration are often overlooked in favour of the increasing hysteria surrounding “recovery drinks” via synthetic protein shakes.
During a period working for a geological practice, my well-travelled boss related how his excessive sweat rate saw him plan his field trips accordingly. Years of working in the desolate and often searing regions of Southern Africa had taught him that daily doses of lukewarm tea and early evening tepid baths were critical to his well-being. This pragmatism backed up what my equally well-travelled and hardened land survey lecturer had imparted to us fresh-faced students several years earlier: “You okes need to realize that the success of any survey work in an isolated area depends totally on how much drinking water is available. The data means nothing if you die out there!”
Note your urine colour after a long-distance event: odds are that it is rather darker than usual. Increased water intake in the days immediately after such an effort coupled with increased vitamin C supplementation should restore optimal plasma and immunity levels.
While the above commentary relating to each component of the triangle barely scratches the surface, the idea is to provide a basic outline so as to encourage ideas specific to each individual. That said, what follows is a snapshot from crossing the finish line as well as the few days immediately following my own participation in the 2014 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
Sunday
Cross the line and keep walking after just dipping under three hours. Happy with the effort, although was hoping for a faster time. Could I have gone any faster? Absolutely not and this reasoning allows a sense of euphoria to set in. If I can be happy with the effort, then what else do I need?
Waiting for the inevitable “quad lock” - this doesn't happen! Likewise, my left calcaneas is feeling normal – light years away from Two Oceans 2014. The body is tired but not crippled.
I didn't start drinking Coke until halfway so no signs of slight nausea prevalent after long distance events. Upon returning home, my first call of nature reveals that telltale dark urine. A few litres of water and several cups of tea over the course of the afternoon rectifies this, although I resolve to start the coming days with a couple of glasses of water to enhance this. Usual lunch and dinner goes down well and take 2000mg of effervescent vitamin C before bed. Also include a liberal dose of apple cider vinegar diluted in water to stave off any effects of my chronic bursitis.
Monday
Didn't sleep that well, although wake up fairly fresh. Walk the few kilometres to work, which is my usual daily commute. A little stiff in the left calcaneas, which eases after the first few minutes afoot. Otherwise, no real soreness although I definitely acknowledge a sense of general fatigue; a good fatigue though.
Walk the same few kilometres home in the afternoon; calacaneas is fine and perform my own form of sports-specific yoga poses in our garden. I like to intermingle this exercise with various domestic chores: a couple of poses and then rake up some leaves; another pose and then take put on the stove – that sort of thing.
Another 2000mg of vitamin C as well as a dose of apple cider vinegar with water.
Looking forward to a massive sleep tonight.
Tuesday
Slept like a log and woke up feeling great.
A busy day ahead, including work-related activity away from the office. Drive to work and then on to appointments. Walk those usual few kilometres home in the evening followed by a similar yoga routine as yesterday.
My appetite continues to be massive, which is totally normal.
No stiffness or tightness in any region – very encouraging.
Another 2000mg of vitamin C as well as a dose of apple cider vinegar with water.
Wednesday
Public holiday in South Africa today so opportunity to get up a little later than usual. Slept amazingly well again, although I’m finding that I still tend to wake up at my usual early hour. Force myself to stay in bed until after 8am.
No walking today, although shift towards a more dynamic ad-hoc outdoors pilates routine that I like to do regularly.
Spend the rest of the day pottering and/or lying around, even contemplating a short barefoot in the neighbouring park. Resolve to wait another day and feel proud to keep my impulsion in check.
Another 2000mg of vitamin C as well as a dose of apple cider vinegar with water, which I decide will be my last for a while. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing anymore.
Thursday
Another busy day, with an extended evening session of sports massage treatments on the cards, so a long day ahead. The usual walking commute to and from work is supplemented by my first run since Sunday. Purposely short and without shoes, I’m ecstatic of how normal and light it feels. Visions of my intended athletic pursuits flash through my head, which include some 10km races in November as well as some much desired – yet purposely neglected – speed work sessions. Yes, I do aspire to partaking in some bouts of intensity, although only in small and spaced out amounts. One kilometer repeats and my favourite fartlek sessions are on my “to do” list, two things that I intended to do this winter but never got around to. Why? Because those sorts of sessions just didn't feel like the right thing to do at the time.
That is all in the future though. Observing Jack Foster’s rule of thumb, completing a marathon requires at least twenty six easy days of training. This rule would see me only allowing myself to think of any form of intensity other than walking, jogging and easy cycling from 17 October. Which is a good thing as this period post-marathon is a particularly busy time on the freelancing front. What with increased after hours work coupled with an extended and much anticipated period away working at the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek on the immediate horizon, I cannot reasonably imagine doing anything other than my daily recovery-focused regimen. My mind and body can simply not fathom it.
A wise man once said:
“Speed work is like dynamite; if you are not careful, it can blow you up!”
