Well Deserved R&R

It’s way too easy to make excuses for missing a training, but it’s also easy to ignore your body’s pleas for what it needs. When you feel a certain way, have a craving for something or just feel ‘out of it’, chances are your body is desperately trying to tell you what it wants. 

This past week, after coming back from a week of racing at the North American Champs which was after a summer of even more races, I felt drained. My cross country coach had told me to take the week off, which I had initially planned as just some light cycling and strength. But when I woke up in the morning with the feeling of lead in my legs, and just not being able to think hard about something (even after my coffee), then I knew I had to change my plan. 

Resting and recovering are different things, and what my body needed was a full sit-on-your-butt-and-binge-watch-Netflix week. And there is nothing wrong with that! There’s this whole idea that high level athlete’s have to be go-go-go all day everyday, but a true athlete will know when to listen to their body. 

A full out resting week is just that - rest and relax. This will not only benefit your body and your aching muscles, but also you brain. I know you’ve heard of this before from some health and nutrition inspiration, but hear it from me too. 

You. Need. It. 

Before this rest week I couldn’t even bear to read a study online about some research I’d heard about. Too many big words. But after lounging about and doing whatever I pleased, the fog had cleared and I could think straight. No joke. You can’t think straight when you’re fatigued. Being without enough sleep can be about the same level of impairment as having a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08. Now you wouldn’t want to workout drunk, would you?

Now let’s talk about food. Food cravings can hit you hard, and most of the time we try and think past it, or find a healthier substitute. But often there are times when you get intense cravings because you actually need it. A week of hard races in hot weather and you’re craving chips? Yeah, go buy some Ruffles. And eat them. Who cares? Just do it in moderation (the key here) and obviously not everyday. 

Now, your body and muscles. One or two days of rest isn’t going to get your body back to it’s baseline recovered state. However, most athletes believe that all of their work is going to be lost if they rest any longer than 2 days. Well, surprise! It won’t.  If you go out for a run and you feel like a turtle chasing an ice cream truck, it’s likely that you’re fairly fatigued and your body doesn’t deserve to be beaten up any more. Take a nap, and if you fall asleep in less than 5 minutes, nap even more. Nap like a boss. 

The final line I’m trying to get across here is that your body is the only body you have. It doesn’t deserve to be pushed to its physical, mental and willful limits every single day. Athlete’s need to learn to listen to their bodies once in a while. It may be hard not being out and doing what you love, so try and treat your rest week like you do your workout weeks. Make a schedule. Plan what you’re going to do, just like you would if you were training. 

So get your feet up, your foam roller at the ready and get some ice cream because you’re gonna crush this rest week!