Saturday, June 7, 2014

Recovery Is (Really) Important [VEGA Sport Review, Too!]

So this has been quite a week!  I had Lifeguard certification training all week, which meant I was in the pool for HOURS every day!  FUN, but exhausting.  :)  I've also been packing lunches that don't require a microwave, since there wasn't one readily available.  First world problems, huh?


Wednesday night's speedwork session with the /R/iver /R/unners was pretty awesome.  I had to miss it last week since my knee was being weird, so meeting up with the crew and rocking out some mileage was aces.  Steph and I basically stuck with the guys for the majority of the run.  They dropped us in the last interval, but we didn't mind.  :)

The first 35 minutes of the run:

The last five minutes of the run:

As usual, we went out for a brew and some noms after the workout.  Some hilarious and ironic discussions tend to happen with this group, since we all rock.  ;)  I'm thinking about adding a segment each week, entitled "Quote of the Night", where I post the best thing said the evening of our meetups.  This past week, Fearless Leader Greg randomly mentioned, "Wedge salads make me angry.  Just cut it up for me!".  I mean...yeah.   :)

I found this in my American Red Cross Lifeguarding textbook.  The acronym "RICE" is most commonly known for being post-injury care in sports and therapies. It GENERALLY stands for "Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation".  According to the American Red Cross, it stands for "Rest, Immobilize, Cold, Elevate".  Interesting!


VEGA Sport sent me some recovery love!  I've used the Recovery Accelerator after several training sessions (running and cycling) over the past couple of weeks.  It's delicious and I love the energy boost I get from it!

Some information from VEGA Sport:
The first all-natural, plant-based recovery drink mix specifically developed to address all six key elements of post-workout recovery: muscle glycogen replenishment, muscle tissue repair and protein synthesis, hormonal support, soft-tissue repair, immune system support, inflammation reduction and rehydration.

The unique formula of Recovery Accelerator features an innovative blend of synergistic plant-based ingredients, like glucosamine, maca, devil’s claw, L-arginine and American ginseng, specifically selected to: replenish energy and electrolytes, reduce inflammation, muscle and joint pain, support immune system24 and protein synthesis, and reduce recovery time between training.

Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator also features a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, a combination shown to increase muscle glycogen re-synthesis – a crucial component of post-workout recovery.


I believe that this has been (and will be) one of the best tools for my recovery from training sessions.  I tend to feel really drained (and almost sick) after harder sessions, especially long runs in the warmer weather.  After sipping on the Recovery Accelerator, I feel REFRESHED!  I think it carries over, as well, aiding in future workouts.

You can check out all of VEGA Sport's fueling plans for preparing, sustaining, and recovering for your intense workouts, training motivation and nutrition information on their site!  

The Hungry Runner Girl (whom I follow obsessively religiously adoringly) posted about foam rolling the other day, including a video (OF HER!) with how-to instructions. Foam rolling has never been my forte; I can't say that I've ever experienced the benefits of it. However, I need to stay healthy, and I'm wiling to give it a shot once more! I've set a timer on my phone to remind me to do it each and every day. I may or may not have invited Harry to "Stop, Drop, and Roll" with me. :)  My tools of torture:  My TriggerPoint Therapy foam roller, "The Grid", and a baseball for my feetsies.  I'm extra prone to getting Plantar Fasciitis, so I really need to focus on my calves and feet.


As active as I've been this week, I feel like I've found the right amount of rest and recovery.  Harry and I are making extra efforts in our nutrition, mostly aiming toward freshness.  We grilled some corn and skirt steak last night and sat out on the back deck.  The weather was gorgeous, and the food was extra tasty!  We're both ready for marathon training to begin, and I believe that we're on the right track in terms of recovery.  If anything, it (recovery) is just as important as the training itself; in fact, it's built-in.




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How was your week?  Anything cool happen?

Do you have a new training cycle coming up?
-Bank of America Chicago Marathon training begins for me TOMORROW!  :O

Tell me three things you're doing this weekend!

3 comments:

  1. Okay, what is on your corn? (I just can't figure it out! lol) 3 things I'm doing, or planned, to do this weekend: 1) go yardsaling this morning - that got nixed because my allergies got too bad, 2) picnic tomorrow for lunch, and 3) exercise and plan out my week. Oh, and do my nails.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh! We made elote! It was SCRUMPTIOUS! Sorry to read about your allergies taking over your morning! Boooooo!

      Delete
    2. Oh, cool - just learned something new :)

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