On Saturday I woke up and had zero desire to run but got out anyway because I knew I would feel a lot better if I did. I went out thinking I would do 6 miles but with each mile I felt better and the sunshine just felt too good so I did 10 miles instead.
We were staying with a family member and in their area they had all of these little dirt/gravel trails next to the sidewalks. I LOVE it when a city plans in trails like this everywhere, it’s the best. PS sometimes when I travel I can feel the difference in the elevation when I run and sometimes I can’t… In Vegas I could definitely feel the difference and breathing felt a lot easier. PPS when I run somewhere new I just put the address of where I am staying onto Waze on my phone just in case I forget how to get back.
The rest of the day we spent getting ready for the reception at Andrew’s sister’s home. The reception was very small with family (most everyone there has had the vaccine too!) and it felt so good to be at something like this again!
The girls’ favorite part was the dancing…
and ALL of the cookies.
The fruit bar was extremely heavenly too.
Skye has a cousin that she absolutely adores. She follows him everywhere and he is so sweet to give her so much attention.
Andrew’s grandpa is just so great and so active. He was out on the dance floor and partying all night:)
It was a great trip and I’m so thankful we could go and now we all need to recover for a few days along with wash the 56 pieces of clothing that we brought;)
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The other day I mentioned that with each year I get older I notice that I need more and more recovery in order to keep running healthy and happy. I thought I would share what I think are the best tips/things for recovery and would appreciate hearing what you have found that works for you so that I can incorporate them too!
#1 Sleep. I don’t think there is anything out there that can do more good for our bodies than getting enough sleep each day. When I was hitting PRs a bunch in 2019 I slept A LOT. I would get on average 9 hours of sleep and I think that was a big key to the success I had that year.
I’ve heard things like we should be sleeping an extra minute each night for every mile we run that week (ie if you run 50 miles per week then you should be sleeping an extra 50 minutes each night). In any book that I’ve read about elite athletes they take sleep extremely serious each night along with naps.
#2 Eat.
#3. BCAAs! These have been huge for me when I’ve been training hard in the past. I used them for my PR marathon, first sub 3 and 50 miler training. It helps you to decrease muscle soreness and help your body to recover faster. I have absolutely noticed a difference in my recovery
#4. Hydration! If I am not properly hydrated before during and after my runs, my recovery slows down big time. “Adequate hydration can improve recovery, minimize injury and cramping, and maximize performance.” (Source) AMEN! I have fallen head over heals for Liquid IV. Not only does it help me to hydrate better but it also gets in the electrolytes and vitamins too (plus the Pina colada flavor tastes like a treat).
You can use my code HUNGRYRUNNERGIRL here to get 15% off your purchase.
#5. Ryan Hall shared how he used to go back and forth between a cold bath to a hot bath to help with recovery! In the past I used to sit in a cold river after a really hard run to help aid recovery and I do feel like it helped. Now I’m too much of a wuss to get in a cold bath/river but I do love jumping into the hot tub after a run!
#6. All of the tools! I LOVE a good recovery tool. I’ve shared about my rapid reboots here and what I love about them, I love how I use the foam roller here along with a chart to show you how, my favorite stretches are here, my THERAGUN really helps to loosen things up, the R8 Recovery Roller (worth the $ because it really rolls out those deep muscles) and right now I’ve been using a pranamat and I’ll share a review with you on that in a bit.
#7. For me, I really need one rest day a week. I don’t cross train, I try to get more sleep and I hit the couch for longer. A rest day helps me to feel more eager for another week of training, it gives my body the chance to really repair itself and it prevents burnout from happening. If we are burning ourselves out, there is no chance we are going to get faster.
REST IS TRAINING. If you ever feel guilty about taking a rest day, running easy or sleeping more than the internet tells you to… please stop! If you want to reach your goals, you have to recover well!
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Important Q for this week… Rate this treat below on a scale from 1-10! I’m making cookies with them in it today:)
What have you found to help you the most with your recovery? Ever had a time where you didn’t do enough recovery?
Do you notice a change in the elevation when you are running in a new place?
-If I am traveling to a place that has humidity and it is a lot lower elevation I do not notice because all I am thinking about is how tough you all are that run in humidity!
Tell me the best part of your weekend?
38 comments
Sara E Mertz
Love those mini cadbury eggs. I am going to make mini cheesecakes with ganache, topped with 3 cadbury eggs for Easter! Yumm 10/10. Recovery: ice, rest, foam roller. Last time I trained for a marathon, I would soak my feet in an ice bucket and sit on the patio eating a warm chocolate chip scone with hazelnut coffee.
Wendy
What a great idea for an Easter dessert. My mom-in-law asked me to make a cheesecake for our small family get together, so I think I will copy you ?
Thanks for the tip!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Sara, can we come over for Easter dessert? Those sound amazing! That is a brilliant recovery tip, I’ve never tried an ice bucket for my feet but I’m sure that would help them so much while eating a warm breakfast. Have a beautiful day and thanks for sharing.
Mariah
Great advice for recovery! I’ve never tried BCAAs, will have to try. And agreed about ice baths, I used to do all the time, now I’ll just regular ice lol. One easy way is freezing little paper cups with water, tear the cup away as the ice melts! Or bag of frozen veggies. Yoga is another recovery method for me too.
Best part of my weekend was date #4 ? he cooked dinner for me! Salmon, asparagus and quinoa, I was so impressed haha.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Mariah! Let me know what you think fo the BCAAs! I’m all about the regular icing too and I need to try your paper cup icing! DATE NUMBER FOUR… this is just the best news and the fact he cooks so well makes me like him even more. Thank you for keeping me in the loop, it’s all so exciting for me:)
Molly
too funny that running in Vegas felt easier … I am from Florida and met friends in Vegas for the rock n roll half marathon a few years ago. The first time I ever “hit the wall” in a race! I was not prepared for that elevation. I can only imagine racing in Utah! (Although all your race recaps from there make me want to do a destination race:)
hydration + adequate nutrition is what I HAVE to improve upon if I want to consider another marathon. I’ve only done two, but the second one I bonked hard. My training went so well, so I think I need to hone in on the nutrition aspect more for my next.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh that race is SO much fun, I love that you went to do it with friends. I bet that wall hurt from the elevation BUT can we just talk about how hardcore you are for running in Florida weather? I die just running a few miles in heat/humidity. Someday you might just have to come do St. George though. I totally agree with you about the nutrition part… once I figured out my nutrition before and during a race is when the PRs started coming in! Keep me updated with how that is going for you and I’m cheering for you! Thanks Molly!
Crissy Dudonis
Hi! I just had to comment on those mini eggs. I am a HUGE fan and can’t wait for you to share how you used them in a cookie recipe!
My foam roller is the key to my recovery! No doubt.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I hope you are eating all of the eggs and I’m going to use this recipe: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/cadbury-egg-cookies/
The foam roller does so much good for us. Have the best day Crissy!
Kristin
Love this recovery advice! Since getting injured in the fall, I’ve learned SO much about training. I thought I knew stuff before. I didn’t!! I also have been reading How to Make Yourself Poop, which is such a silly title but a really informative running book!!!
Glad you all had such a fun weekend!
Wendy
We love those Cadbury mini eggs! I haven’t used them in cookies though. But today I am baking cookies with the Easter M&M’s to send out to our son since he won’t be here for Easter.
Your weekend looked pretty perfect. I have a sister who lives in the Vegas area (closer to Henderson), and she’s buying a new house. I can’t wait to go out there to explore run through her new neighborhood. Her old neighborhood was on top of a big hill, so finishing a run there always meant finishing w8th a long steep hill… Woof!
I do notice the difference when running in a place with a higher elevation. But usually it takes a day or two to adjust, then I’m ok. My paces are slower, just a little, but that’s ok.
Best part of the weekend we’re the 80°+ temps, being at the pool, and doing a fairly big yard clean up. Because of the bathroom reno, patio clean up will have to wait, but it was nice to trim things up and plant a few new plants in the yard. And, we finally gave our trampoline away to a family done the street. They have 2 young boys who will love it as much as my boys did. And now the yard looks huge! Ha ha
Last week was a light week running wise, so we’ll see if my body feels ready for more this week.
Have a great Monday!
Rebekah
Those are a 10/10. I have to stop.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Don’t stop… keep enjoying them!! Have a fabulous day Rebekah!
Janine
Good morning!! Looks like you all had a wonderful time in Vegas :o)
Cadbury mini eggs are OFF. THE. CHARTS. GOOD!!! I can only buy the individual serving bags. Otherwise, I try to shove my whole head into the full size bags!! Can’t wait to hear how the cookies turn out :o)
Stretching, ice, and sleep (especially naps!) are my best recovery tools. I’ve done the ice bath thing and that’s just a big bowl of NO for me. I use ice bags/packs on joints and I will still wade into really cold streams, but no more body immersion.
I haven’t experienced any major elevation changes, but imagine I would feel the difference for sure. We get plenty of humidity in the northeast, so that doesn’t bother me much. When I run in even more humid climates (looking at you Florida), I run super early in the day.
Lost of best parts to the weekend, but I’ll go with 18 holes of golf – granted, it was at a simulator, but was still a lot of fun to be back out “playing”.
Beth
Ahhhh, what a lovely reception! Have you gotten your vaccine yet? I get my first shot this afternoon and I am so so so excited ?
The best part of our weekend was going for a hike and getting to see dinosaur fossils.
I hope your trip home was safe and easy!
Deb
Beck sure is coming up with some awesome facial expressions!
He’s adorable <3
Amy S
Hi Janae! Love the recovery tips! One more that’s helped me is doing some hip and glute activation before I head out on my run. Really helps me prevent injury!
Happy Monday and thanks for sharing your weekend, looks awesome!
Annemarie
Mini Eggs are SOOOOO good! I only wish they had a dark chocolate version ?
As I have gotten older, I have really had to prioritize prehab and recovery. I stretch and foam roll every single day, regardless of what my workout looked like that day. In the last 2 years, I have also really had to embrace cross training. I mainly started cross training more 2 years ago, when I was recovering from a stress fracture, and I noticed when I kept it going routinely, I was not getting injured. I now make sure I do something besides running, usually biking, 2 days per week instead of running. Don’t get me wrong, I would much rather run, but it doesn’t benefit me to run 6 days a week anymore. In fact, my last marathon was a PR by almost a minute… and more importantly, I stayed healthy all throughout training!
Finally, I would also say that my greatest priority, and this is since my 20s, is strength training. As your body gets older, it becomes more difficult for it to handle the training load unless your muscles and tendons are strong and well-adapted. Functional strength training is the way to go. FYI- all of this info is a combination of experience and advice from my doctor ?
Just for reference, I began running in my late 20s and I am now 48. I ran my first marathon at 41 and I am now training for #10. I PR’d at CIM 2019 with a 3:32. My goal is 3:30 and I am hoping to hit it this year!
ML
The dark chocolate version exists!!
Shelly
Hi! I’m not a huge Cadbury Egg fan, but I think they are so festive and always want to like them more than I do. BUT this year I found the dark chocolate Cadbury eggs and are obsessed with them I’d rate them an 11/10 :). If you have not tried, I highly recommend! Also, will you post the cookie recipe? I’m hosting an Easter egg hunt for my little ones and our family friends tomorrow and I’d love to make them!
Chelsea
The girls dresses are absolutely adorable!! Looks like you guys had a blast!
Also, I’ve never tried BCAA’s but I’ve heard they’re amazing! I need to try them out for sure.
I’ve NEVER had those chocolate cadberry eggs! Should I try them? :)
Have a great Monday, Janae!!
Samantha
Easter has the best candy and I LOVE the mini eggs. Honestly, I love most everything Cadbury makes.
I’m not a runner but I struggle with hydration a lot. Mostly I just forget to drink water until I’m parched. I’m going to try some of those flavors and see if it helps.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Samantha! I hope you get all of the mini eggs this year. This is definitely the best candy season. YES, let me know what you think of it! Have a beautiful day friend.
Eileen
Oh my……those cadbury eggs are a 100 out of 10 in my book!!!! Always buy a few bags and stash them so I can have them over the upcoming months. Can you share your cookie recipe with these in it??? Thanks!!!
Jenny
Sounds like you had the best weekend! I love the girls matching dresses!
I love all of your recovery suggestions! I recently started incorporating recovery runs as opposed to cross training or complete run rest days and I feel much more recovered! I also try my best to foam roll and stretch but I’m lucky if I get one of those accomplished! I recently this https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-CARBON-Tissue-Roller-13-Inch/dp/B07GG2X4X5/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1EJX0D2V2E3TG&dchild=1&keywords=trigger+point+foam+roller&qid=1617033615&sprefix=trigger+point+%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-10 roller and the pain is unbearably amazing! I have to use it sparingly tough because I have bruises on my right quad from it! Lol!
Have a great day!
Rachel
10/10! Mini eggs are permanently in my list of top 5 favourite candies. I love making these Rice Krispie squares and throwing in a bag of mini eggs. https://cookiesandcups.com/perfect-rice-krispie-treat-recipe/
I agree with you about sleep! That is the game changer for me in recovery. I function well with about 6-7 hours of sleep but when I get 8-9 hours consistently, I feel SO much better during runs. This is terrible, but the best part of my weekend was breaking up with a guy I was dating. I just needed to tell someone haha. Anyways, I hope you have a wonderful week and lots of mini eggs!
Sloan
Two good recovery things…
1. Drain your legs. Lay down, stick your butt up against the wall, put your legs straight up on the wall. We have leg draining parties with out cross country team.
2. When my shins are starting to get achey or my legs are just tired in general, I sleep in compression sleeves. I’ve never felt a long term impact from actually running in them so I started sleeping in them. I use them a night or two and I can feel a huge difference!
Anne
Cadbury Mini Eggs are my fav Easter candy (along with black jelly beans, because I’m strange haha)!!! A few years ago I was running a half marathon around Easter and used them to carb load ? definitely an 11/10!
Amanda
10+++++++++
Please share your cookie recipe!
Erica
SO many of the things you said. I definitely have gotten the most out of my running when I EAT enough, DRINK more water than diet soda, and SLEEP.
Sounds so simple, as you said, but I think we use our routines, what sounds good, and overall comfort we receive from doing these as we wish that it is a difficult change. Anyone who has changed up these things, proud of you!
Oh……..and love those candies.
Honor Hill
Lovely to see all is well with you and your lovely family.
Sad news from Dallas ? In the last part of a walk with my dog on Monday morning, her leash and that of another dog we were passing got tangled and I went down. I suffered a dislocated left ankle and 3 fractures of the ankle end of the left fibula, caused by the dislocation. Think Dak Prescott’s on-field injury and you’ve got it. (Maybe I’ll have a golden future in the NFL too!)
I was very well taken care of by ambulance, hospital, a fine orthopedic surgeon, and am now in rehab! My Apple Watch did a great job and notified both my son and his wife of a “hard fall” and gave the address. So they arrived before the ambulance left for the hospital! Highly recommend! I’m in good shape if you disregard my lower left leg! No weight on it for 6 weeks! Eeek! But surgeon inserted 2 plates and enough screws to stock a hardware store and said he expects a full recovery, with bones grown around the screws etc in 6 months. So, good. But in a cruel irony, my rehab room overlooks our regular running trail!! Could there be much worse for a runner?!
michelle
Oh no, Honor, I’m catching up on Janae’s blog and am so sorry to see this. And yes, fellow runners can understand the torture of having a bike path right outside the rehab window! I wish you a speedy recovery!
Honor Hill
Thank you, Michelle! You are very kind.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh my goodness. Honor, I feel terrible for you. My heart is broken for you. I wish I could take this away from you. SIX WEEKS. It’s crazy how things can change so so quickly. Will you please keep me updated of your recovery. And I cannot wait until you are on that running trail again. I am sending prayers to you. You are so determined and strong, you are going to make the best comeback. Thinking about you!
Honor Hill
Thank you so much, Janae. This might put a cramp in my Age Group Champion achievements! Never mind. I’ll be happy just to mend well and enjoy running and the outdoors without always being in training for a marathon. Maybe it’s time—I’ll be 80 in May so I feel that if I must slow down or if it takes a long time to get back up to speed, that’s fine. I enjoy every minute of it ?
Kathy
haha i was just eating them straight out of the bag today! so I would say 8!
I live in Denver, so higher elevation, but to be honest, I don’t notice the altitude too much. I DEFINITELY notice humidity though. My runs are often slower at lower elevation with high humidity in the summer, I’m just not used to the intense heat anymore. I always run in the early morning before it gets super hot at home.
Foam rolling, yoga, massage gun, and I have a curved scraping tool that i use for my neck, back, and calves. Also seeing a chiro that works on soft tissue has been awesome! Laying down with my legs up against the wall immediately after a run also helps alot!
This weekend we went to a new to us park which was a ton of fun and then had friends over for a bbq on Sunday. It was so good to be outside and see friends!
Eveline
The wedding photos look lovely and glad you found a nice trail close to where you were staying!
I don’t know those mini-eggs, but if they are chocolate then I’d say more is better ;)
What have you found to help you the most with your recovery? Ever had a time where you didn’t do enough recovery?
– This is the first time in my life I’m training without a rest day, I’m in week 12 of a pretty full-on plan right now and never would’ve thought I’d feel this good with no rest days! The key for me has been taking the easy days SUPER easy. And then yes to all of what you’re saying (eating enough, sleeping enough, resting enough, stretching and using my massage gun!)
Do you notice a change in the elevation when you are running in a new place?
– It’s pretty flat where we are so I’m sure I’d feel the difference if I ever were to run in Utah!!
Tell me the best part of your weekend?
– I got second place female in my age cat doing a sprint triathlon! It was a great confidence boost!
Nina
The Cadbury mini eggs are overrated to me, I feel they have a little bit of an off tase. I would still eat them, don’t get me wrong ha, but I don’t get all of the hype. I would much rather a Cadbury cream egg anyway! I visited my cousin in Wyoming a few years back and we hiked a lot. I remember how much easier it was to breathe there, but how much thirstier I felt. It was crazy! Might have to look into that liquid IV to keep up my hydration while breastfeeding! Have a great day :)