BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - The benefits of rest and recovery

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about something that can totally zap your motivation to lace up your running shoes and your ability to stick to a training routine. It's something nearly every runner will experience.... fatigue, burnout, weariness and borderline depression that stems from a lack of proper rest and recovery. And you can be sure that I'm not just talking about our physical bodies but our mental state as well since we all know they are directly linked. 

The idea for this topic came to me early yesterday as I set out on my morning run and was able to clock a few miles at my BQ (Boston Qualifying) pace (something I had nearly given up on in my pursuit of long-distance running). With all the miles I had been logging the last couple of years to train for and run ultras, I had resigned myself to the belief that speed and long-distance running could not be "married." And while I will never break any land records at either short distances or long ones, I wanted to share what I realized was the key to regaining some (and I'm okay with only some) of the speed I had lost.. proper rest and recovery in between workouts. 

So for those of you who are still wondering whether rest and recovery days are really that important, let's take a look at some of the science behind them and the positive effects proper rest and recovery time have on a runner's body as explained by Dr. Kevin Vincent, director of the University of Florida Running Medicine Clinic, who assures us that, "Rest is not a four-letter word.”

Your muscles bounce back

When you run (or do any kind of exercise), you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers and your body likes those about as much as you like trying to open a sweaty gel packet after 15 miles. So it responds by rebuilding your muscles stronger, in preparation for the next session. Sounds like a good deal, but there’s a catch: that response only happens with adequate time off from exercising. Vincent says that, depending on the length and intensity of your workout, the body needs a minimum of 36-48 hours to properly reboot. Without it, the body has no opportunity to rebuild and strengthen muscles; they just continue to break down. That negates all the hard work you put in.

*That being said, remember that rest days don't always have to be days when you completely take off from activity and movement. These can cause extreme anxiety in many runners (like me) who use running to manage their depression and mood swings. They are periods when you refrain from running but can include active recovery activities such as biking, yoga, strength training, swimming or aqua running. I personally do aqua running at least 2-3 times a week in lieu of running on land. Not only has this activity kept me injury free since making the choice to faithfully incorporate rest and recovery days into my routine but has helped me become a better runner thanks to the many mobility exercises I mix into the water workout. 

You avoid stress fractures

If you're trying to sidestep an injury, rest is crucial. Contrary to what ill-informed naysayers will trot out, running is actually great for your bones – the impact stresses the bone tissue, and just like a muscle, that increases cell turnover and forces the bone to remodel with stronger structures, says Vincent. ‘But if you run today, tomorrow and the next day, it never has time to fully repair.’ Eventually, you could be looking at a stress fracture – and a lengthy spell out of action.

*And if you think this won't happen to you because you're young or get enough Calcium and Vitamin D, think again. I've had many runner friends of all ages get stress fractures which can sideline a runner for 6-8 weeks. 

Tight tendons are protected

Tendons are connective tissues that hold muscle to bone, so they work constantly as the body moves. But blood doesn't get to them easily, so they take longer to repair than tissues that get a more plentiful supply of your claret (like muscles), explains Vincent. If they don't get that much-needed time, the constant pounding can cause chronic damage, such as tendinitis – which is inflammation from overuse.

*Once again, swimming and aqua running are great ways to turn a rest day into an active recovery day thus getting the most bang for your buck. Your tight tendons will love the water therapy and will thank you for it. 

Your brain has time to chill

Yes, running is a form of stress relief. But every time you lace up, it actually increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Why is that? ‘The body doesn't know if you're running away from danger or if you're running for fun,’ says Vincent. That cortisol bump can cause mood issues, irritability, sleep problems and other health issues if stress levels are chronically high, says Marks. Think of it like a scale: overtrain, and you've tipped too far in one direction; schedule regular rest days, and you'll bring yourself back in balance.

*I can't even begin to stress how important mental rest days are. They not only help a runner avoid the burnout that inevitably comes with overtraining and can lead to depression, but can actually improve a runner's mood and outlook. How? By reminding the runner that running is a gift. Learn to embrace these mental breaks by being thankful for the cross-training activities you are blessed to do while looking forward to your next run. You might even find that the thought of running once again gives you a few butterflies in your stomach. 

So there you have it friends. Those are a lot of reasons why you should incorporate rest and recovery days into your routine. Want another added bonus? Rest days can make you faster! If you use them wisely that is. And you use them wisely by valuing their importance as much as run days. Use them to work on your weaknesses while resting your mind. Tight hamstrings? Take a yoga class. Weak core or shoulders causing a running imbalance? Hit the gym. Weak hip flexors giving you problems? Hit the pool for some hip mobility and strengthening exercises. Anxiety welling up in you? Hop on your bike and visit a new trail, taking the time to absorb and appreciate the sights, sounds and smells all around you. Do you see where I'm going with this? I hated rest and recovery days for years!! Which is the main reason I was injured so often. I am now not only embracing this new pattern of incorporating them into my normal routine, I am discovering new benefits of doing so all the time... something that I hope you will discover as well. So learn to enjoy those rest days friends and see them for the gift they are. Take them often and you'll soon be smiling at how good they make you feel and run. 

Happy Running!!!