Sometimes You Gotta Just STOP
I'm sick. It sucks. Husband comes home for a visit and brings the plague. I stare at him with the one eye that isn't smashed into my pillow and think of ways to show my gratitude of being sick.
**moan**
I knew it was coming. Early last week I was on the phone with him and he said, "man I'm
Just sick, and it's all catching up... Blah blah blah...", I know he probably went on telling me about his day but all I processed was "sick".
There is nothing you can do about it sometimes. You WILL get sick. Either spouse will bring something home or your carrier monkeys will bring something back from their bacteria laden mother ship (school).
I wouldn't mind being sick so much if I wasn't training. I stare at my schedule and nearly cry knowing that there is no way I can run for 2 hours if I can't even get out of bed. I then even message my coach as I take my feverish arse to the gym and try to attempt to run on the treadmill... Sometimes you need someone to tell you to REST.
A couple of tips for the sick.
1. Resting Heart Rate: Most people don't even know what their resting heart even is, though it's the best and biggest indicator where your body is physically. Knowing when your RHR is too high will help you know when your body is over trained or getting sick. It's your body's best way of telling you to slow down. No one knows your body better then yourself, so listen to it !
2. Pump the fluids: Once a fever spikes, water starts evaporating quickly from the body. We need fluids to maintain homeostasis (pretty much meaning, ALL GOOD IN THE HOOD) within the body. Denying yourself fluids only exacerbates your problems.
Lean muscle tissue if made up of 75% water, so if you plan on bouncing back quickly from whatever sickness you have, you sure as heck better be hydrated. Keeps those muscles you've been working so hard on pliable!
**moan**
I knew it was coming. Early last week I was on the phone with him and he said, "man I'm
Just sick, and it's all catching up... Blah blah blah...", I know he probably went on telling me about his day but all I processed was "sick".
There is nothing you can do about it sometimes. You WILL get sick. Either spouse will bring something home or your carrier monkeys will bring something back from their bacteria laden mother ship (school).
I wouldn't mind being sick so much if I wasn't training. I stare at my schedule and nearly cry knowing that there is no way I can run for 2 hours if I can't even get out of bed. I then even message my coach as I take my feverish arse to the gym and try to attempt to run on the treadmill... Sometimes you need someone to tell you to REST.
A couple of tips for the sick.
1. Resting Heart Rate: Most people don't even know what their resting heart even is, though it's the best and biggest indicator where your body is physically. Knowing when your RHR is too high will help you know when your body is over trained or getting sick. It's your body's best way of telling you to slow down. No one knows your body better then yourself, so listen to it !
2. Pump the fluids: Once a fever spikes, water starts evaporating quickly from the body. We need fluids to maintain homeostasis (pretty much meaning, ALL GOOD IN THE HOOD) within the body. Denying yourself fluids only exacerbates your problems.
Lean muscle tissue if made up of 75% water, so if you plan on bouncing back quickly from whatever sickness you have, you sure as heck better be hydrated. Keeps those muscles you've been working so hard on pliable!
Best ways to stay hydrated:
- set a timer to go off every 15 minutes as a friendly reminder
- Don't over hydrate! Sometimes we get carried away wih drinking water, we then actually flush out all the important minerals our body needs to actually absorb the water.
- Supplement with Nuun and or your favorite sports drink. Depending what I have available I'll alternate a bottle of water to a bottle with one Nuun tablet or constantly keep a water bottle with 1/2 water & 1/2 Gatorade.
3. Eat!: Easier said then done when you barely have the energy to roll over. Small meals are important. All time favorite is chicken noodle soup (I say drop the noodles, you don't need anything else in your body causing inflammation), a good dose of veggies, protein, and sodium will help repair and restore your body.
4. Sleep: Did you know that when you sleep you pretty much give your body the permission to shut down and RECOVER? Yep. Sleep is just as important as long runs. Sleep is essential to bouncing back quicker. I know it's not always an option if you have to work or have kids running around, but even a 10-20 minute nap will do a world of good.
To some, everything I stated above may be common sense or to some you may have just needed a reminder.
Please please please always let your body recover. As a coach, I would rather have an athlete at 100% for a workout then have you half-ass 3 workouts, then have you out longer because your body just hasn't recovered.
"Perfect practice makes perfect"
Stay healthy my friends!