There’s a kernel of truth in the 1990s adage “no pain, no gain,” but please don’t conflate that with an endorsement of unsafe exercise practices. Yes, a hard workout will always cause discomfort, but you’ll probably see better results by working just as hard on your recovery. That’s why we’re learning “How to get rid of sore muscles overnight: Top tips to alleviate workout discomfort.” A good night’s rest is where much of your muscle-building will take place, and the good news is, there are tons of simple behaviors to help that process along. For instance, a warm epsom salt bath before bed has been shown to expand blood vessels, improve circulation, and deliver more essential nutrients to your damaged muscles. Additionally, adopting a bedtime stretching routine can alleviate pain and relax you for a healthier, more restorative sleep. That’s why you should consider performing these “8 Stretches to Do Before Bed.” Moves like the kneeling lat stretch and child’s pose are particularly effective for athletes, as they target common problem areas while promoting relaxation.
#SoreWinner
As snow storms and frigid temps moved across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic this week, we got a sobering reminder that spring weather is still many months away. For anybody who struggles with keeping their extremities warm, it certainly isn’t the most wonderful time of the year. Whether you’ve got poor circulation, Raynaud’s phenomenon, or a general aversion to cold weather, you may want to take advantage of the advice found in “Raynaud’s: the winter frozen-hand crisis among runners.” If you need a reminder, Raynaud’s is a condition that restricts blood flow to extremities, and it’s commonly triggered by cold or stress. Wearing gloves or mittens while you run can make a big difference, and some experts even recommend having a second pair on hand in case your first set becomes damp from sweat. It can also help to find gloves of the right material, and natural moisture-wicking fibers like Merino wool are a top choice, according to “The 8 Best Running Gloves For Logging Cold-Weather Miles.” If those gloves still aren’t enough, you can really turn up the heat by using: “The 8 Best Hand Warmers, Tested.” This list includes both reusable and disposable options, so there’s something to fit every runner’s needs.
#ColdBlooded
About 51 minutes into our recent SMM podcast interview with author David Knapp, he reminded us that once Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile barrier, a wave of other runners did the same thing shortly after. He predicts a similar phenomenon once the 2-hour barrier in the marathon is broken. David says it demonstrates a larger point: once we see something is possible, our mental barriers are eliminated, and our bodies are empowered to reach new heights. Well, we’re seeing a similar phenomenon occur among masters athletes, and you can read about it in: “How to Hit Peak Fitness After 40.” The article points to athletes like skier Lindsey Vonn, 40, and climber Chris Sharma, 43, who’ve turned in some of the best performances of their career later in life. Our friend Coach Trax didn’t run her first sub-3:00 marathon until age 43. (Her excellent race recap chronicles the splits, the happy tears and the cake her friends gave her that read “F@ck Yeah!”) It’s stories like those that inspire runners of all ages to strive for peak performances later in their careers. By putting additional effort into things like aerobic base building and active recovery, older runners can keep pace with, or even out-perform their younger selves. Another effective strategy to keep the good times rolling is to rethink the way you set goals. As our bodies age and grow, it can be helpful to target different kinds of challenges to keep running satisfying, so take a look at: “Running and Aging: Setting Ambitious and Realistic Goals.” One option is to focus on endurance over speed, aiming to see how far you can run at once, rather than chasing a PR over a fixed distance. That’s an element of running for which older, more experienced runners often have an advantage.
#TheMasters
At the risk of sounding like navel-gazing philosophers, we’re challenging ourselves to get deep today and answer the question: “What is training?” There’s an obvious response, but after reading this insightful piece from Polar, we’re inspired to think a little outside the box. The idea is this: Training is more than just a series of workouts, split times, and sessions. Instead, consider it as a journey of self mastery. To that end, they suggest incorporating five pillars of success to meet your goals. Goal-oriented training, strategic structure, progressive overload, systematic monitoring, and recovery. We got some advice on that in our recent conversation with Brett Lato from Polar. However, any journey of self-discovery requires you to consider your weaknesses too, and that’s why we’re taking advice from our partners over at McMillan Running: “Battling Your Negative Tendencies: How to Overcome What’s Holding You Back.” Coach Greg says the first step in finding the right approach to training is to identify what sort of personality you exhibit. There are type A folks, who are prone to overwork, hypercompetitiveness, and lack of satisfaction. Type B runners often struggle with procrastination, lack of intensity, or incomplete preparation. The solution? On a split piece of paper, make a list of your negative habits that impact your training, as well as an action to address each habit. Then, tear the paper in half, throw away the bad habits, and post the actions somewhere you’ll see often to serve as a reminder for your growth.
#DroppingTimesLikeABadHabit
Running a marathon is hard enough without worrying about things that don’t really matter, like stressing over exact split times or microscopic form adjustments. Oftentimes, we find that common sense is a pretty darn good guide to informing your training, and if you need a reminder to get back to basics, you should learn these: “5 Things Marathon Runners Shouldn’t Worry About.” The first bit of advice is to recognize there’s no silver bullet when it comes to marathon diets. Carbo-loading, fueling on the go, and hydration strategies will all vary in efficacy depending on the individual, so use your intuition and plan your diet in a way that makes you feel good. The article also notes that while we can learn a lot from the pros, it doesn’t make sense for many of us to copy their insane workouts and volume. That’s where our training plan partner Greg McMillan’s advice comes in: “Picking the Right Plan”. Greg reminds us that most runners aren’t elite athletes logging 100-mile weeks, so why train like one? He advises choosing a plan that fits your lifestyle, experience, and goals rather than blindly copying what works for someone else. A big part of that is identifying a training plan that has your desired amount of flexibility baked in, which is why beginner and intermediate plans shouldn’t be overlooked, even if you’re experienced.
#CommonSensei
Despite sky-high expectations, Jakob Ingebrigsten didn’t achieve every result he wanted at the Paris Olympics. He was a fairly heavy favorite in many of his events, and to understand why, all you need to do is look at his race strategy and execution. We came across one video shared by @europeanathletics that really demonstrates just how much confidence he has in himself. At the start of this 1500M race, Jakob was happy to let the top runners pull away with the lead. It almost looked like he was down and out, until he unleashes a blazing fast final lap and sprint through the finish line to secure the win. It’s a good reminder for all us runners to spend time developing our speed. At the very least, it can help you turn some heads with a strong finish, and that’s the exact attitude we want to end 2024 with. Happy New Year to all our readers!
