It is the time of year when the air grows crisper, the smoke begins to clear, leaves turn neon, and the pumpkin spice aroma wafts from cafés, which can only mean one thing: the Cross Country season has returned. Soon will follow weeks of numerous miles, beautiful scenery for long runs, team activities, and racing on the weekends.
As we enter this fun, yet taxing time, I thought I’d share some thoughts on a topic near and dear to my heart: running injuries and prevention. I am sure the mere mention of it got a few hearts racing (mine included). As training volume and stress increase, the risk of injury does as well. Though it need not be an inevitable outcome, and there are plenty of simple safeguards we can practice that reduce the risk. While being truly “injury proof” in running is an unrealistic goal, training smarter is one we can achieve.
Easy days easy
The goal of the recovery run is to allow our body to reset and recover without applying too much demand that would overload our bodies. This is where athletes often end up injured: too intense a recovery too frequently, negating the intended effect of that day’s run, resulting in injured tissue.
For some additional perspective on the matter, one need only to look at the practices of the professionals in their own recovery. Numerous athletes boasting marathon performances under 2:10 routinely log recovery sessions slower than 8:00 pace, and not uncommonly as slow as 9:00 among several of these athletes. Our own Mike Sayenko, capable of 2:13 in the marathon, recovers at an 8 minute pace on his recovery days.
Sleep enough, and well
An additional aspect of the recovery process is sleep. It is during deep sleep that our body undergoes restorative processes rebuilding cells and tissues stressed during training. Additionally, it is during this time that our body replenishes its energy stores to allow us to have it for the day’s tasks, including our upcoming training.
There are many things that impede both our ability to fall asleep and sleep quality. These include ingested substances, primarily alcohol and caffeine, exposure to screens near to bedtime, and poor sleep hygiene.
With this in mind, consider limiting caffeine intake later in the day. The effects of caffeine impact the ability to fall asleep. Alcohol is best enjoyed in moderation, if at all. Curiously, while alcohol induces the feeling of sleepiness and can result in an easier ability to fall asleep, studies on alcohol and sleep quality have concluded that the quality of the sleep is significantly reduced, especially at higher alcohol volumes. Some studies have demonstrated a 9% reduction in sleep quality with low alcohol intake before bed (1 drink for men, less than 1 drink for women). This increased to 24% for moderate intake (2 drinks for men, 1 for women) and 39% for high intakes (more than 2 drinks for men, more than 1 drink for women).
Blue light from our screens has the effect of impairing our natural sleep/wake rhythms, making it harder to become sleepy and fall asleep. Fortunately, there are numerous applications available that reduce blue light from screens. Iphones now come with a “night shift” setting which allows the owner to manually turn on a setting for reduced blue light emitted. Computer applications like f.lux and redshift do the same and are free to download. Consider setting your screens to reduce blue light exposure as the evening and night hours approach.
Sleep hygiene refers to practices as we approach the end of the waking day that promote regular sleep routines and quality, uninterrupted sleep. The previously mentioned aspects of alcohol usage and screen usage in proximity to sleep both negatively affect sleep hygiene. Additionally, erratic sleep schedules and environments that result in awakening during the sleep cycle further reduce this. Simple steps such as placing electronics to not awaken us during the night, sleeping with earplugs should we have some noisier neighbors, and keeping to a fairly consistent fall asleep/awakening schedule will improve upon our sleep hygiene.
Eat enough, and well
Nutrition is another key ingredient in recovery. Ensuring that we are consuming enough fuel and of good quality ensures necessary fuel to burn, protein to rebuild, and nutrients to keep all functions of the body running smoothly.As the winter months approach, Vitamin D becomes an area of increased risk as sunlight availability reduces. Supplementation in this area may be necessary.
Minimize and manage stress
Lastly, the aspects of mental function and recovery as a key part of injury prevention should be mentioned. More recent inquiry into the effect of stress on the physical body demonstrates that emotional and psychological stressors both result in physical stress on the body, leading to more rapid tissue breakdown and impaired ability to recover from the demands of training. This aspect overlaps significantly with all of the other factors listed above as less alcohol usage, good quality sleep, physical activity, and a healthy diet are known to reduce our stress levels and improve brain function.
When things go wrong, ask a professional
What if we do find ourselves with pain? What’s the difference between generic pain and something we should recover from more thoroughly? A good rule of thumb is that pain lasting ten days without resolution or pain that affects the quality and quantity of our runs warrants some more targeted treatment to recover from. In this scenario, consulting with the proper provider which may include Massage Therapists, Physiatrists, and Physical Therapists is a good step. If emotional/psychological stress becomes a barrier to recovery, consultation with a Therapist or Psychiatrist should be considered.
While not all encompassing, I hope this offers some helpful insight or reminders as we continue in the Cross Country season. Good luck to everyone in training and competition. Go Club Northwest!
By Steve Harris