Rest + Recovery
… to go the distance.
I was feeling the fatigue build up, even though I had at least one rest day in a week. My body was in a constant state of ache. I knew I was burning out, fast.
Only 4 weeks left to race day… I was in panic-mode… I couldn’t afford to slack in my training… not now?!! But I knew I needed to rest.
And although the mind was playing its own devil’s advocate: “Hey, you are tired… it’s a great REASON to skip training!” … “Are you sure it is not an EXCUSE just to skip training?” I decided to put my foot down on the matter. I’m taking a break. I needed it badly.
Strangely, as though it was some cosmic coincidence, the weather corroborated and “supported” me in my quest to rest. Afternoon & evening rains caused most of my regular training sessions to be “cancelled”. And boy, was it a break most welcomed.
It was also most encouraging to read on a triathlon-coaching website… that sleep is a key recovery technique. Now, that is something I’d be most happy to follow! *smiles*
I’ve learnt that I need more sleep than others. Despite the fact that I had stopped all training for a couple of days, I was still feeling tired. As such, I persisted with my rest for an entire week. Yes, you read it correctly. AN ENTIRE WEEK. This is probably not what any coach will recommend. But each person is different. And I knew I needed the rest… not just to recover physically, but also to recharge mentally.
Now, ready to go the distance.