Rest up!

Today's theme for Take it and Run Thursday is Run. Rest and Recover. Repeat.

They want to know our magic formulas for resting. And recovering.

Well. I have no magic formula. I rest. That's it.

Honestly. My rest days are rest days. I have no problem taking days off -- especially after a race or a hard run. My goal is to run for as many years as possible and so I figure a little rest now will allow me to do that.

When I run, I really run. I have no problem running hard. But when I need to rest, I'll put my feet up. I'll steer clear of high heels. I'll treat easy runs like easy runs (something, I know, is tough to do but you learn your lessons as you age . . . ), or I'll go for a walk instead of a run. The resting makes the running better.

Now, even with all that resting, there are times when I need to recover. So, I do have a few tips for you. They are simple, but they work for me. I hope that maybe they will work for you, too:

1. The Stick. I swear by The Stick. I use it before runs to warm up and after tough workouts to roll out the achy spots, and those areas prone to injury. I really do believe that The Stick helps me recover.
2. Vitamin C. I make a beeline for the orange slices after races. Day in and day out, I eat a ton of dried cranberries. I loooooove dried cranberries!
3. Protein. After races or hard workouts, I tend to eat a little more protein than usual. But I don't go crazy.
4. Feet up. I've said it before, I'll say it again: I'm not afraid to put my feet up when the situation calls for it! Resting my dogs completely helps me recover more quickly.
   

Hmm . . . I guess that's it. Not too many tips today, but that's probably because the key to recovery for me is rest. And the key to resting is actually doing it -- not sneaking in some fartleks when you're supposed to be out on an easy jog, not heading out for a run when you need to take the day completely off.

Yup, that's it. Rest up, my friends!