Resting, as important as training?
Rest, such a simple word, yet it is probably most difficult to implement when you are so focussed on performing at your selected race. The harder and the longer you train, the better you’ll be on race day, right?
WRONG! the body will only adapt to training stimulus when it is allowed to rest properly post-exercise, and most novice athletes train either too much or train at an inappropriate intensity which leaves them too fatigued to complete the high-intensity training by going too hard when they are doing a ‘recovery’ session.
One of the most important parts of your training programmes must be the recovery sessions or days; this is where your body repairs itself and comes back stronger, allowing your fitness to progress and get you to your target race in peak condition.
However, psychologically this can be hugely difficult to accept, especially when you know for a fact other athletes in your age group are out completing monster rides and runs, doing more than you so they will be fitter than you! This is only partly true; they may well be out doing more than you today, but if they aren’t resting properly afterwards in a few weeks when you are still out there completing quality sessions, they will either be injured, too tired to perform well or just burnt out. So, on the back of this, I have 3 key tips that will help you stay well-rested/recovered to allow you to train harder the next time:
1. If the session calls for Zone 1 (heart rate or power), don’t go out of that zone; it is supposed to feel easy! Its recovery, avoid the temptation to do that little bit more or go that little bit harder as, in the long run, it will be counterproductive.
2. Target the hard sessions and treat them as you would for a race. For example, get a good nights sleep, eat well before, focus on the session at hand and aim to perform well within it. Then make sure you rest well and refuel ready for the next one
3. If you just can’t hit the targets within the session or just aren’t firing properly, drop the session or drop to zone 1 and treat it as recovery; you obviously weren’t rested enough for it. Take a look at your plan and your diary to see where and why this is, to avoid next time.
Remember, this one session lost now is far better than 10 lost down the line due to illness or overtraining!
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