In Recovery

No, its not a 12 Step Program, but maybe it should be. The last 10 days my body has been recovering from running the Vegas Marathon. The first couple of weeks after running a marathon are weird both physically and mentally. I took the first week completely off, simply trying to readjust to Eastern Standard Time and getting over the leg soreness that occurs after a marathon. The legs feel achy, particularly after sitting at a desk for several hours at work. By the weekend, my body was itching to run again. So, Saturday was "get back on the road" day.

The first run after taking several days off after a marathon is always rough. The leg muscles take about a month to fully recover, but you are asking them to kick back into gear. Its a bit like trying to rev an engine that is badly in need of a tune-up. Its during these first couple of runs back that any issues with the joints, tendons and muscles of the legs threaten to come forcefully to the surface. This is why you take it easy these first few runs back. The legs come slowly back into shape over the next couple of weeks. However, until they come back, you feel a bit old and creaky.

Biking is good cross training during recovery. Biking is like the methadone of exercise recovery. Still addictive, but it doesn't beat up the body as much as running, the heroine of exercise. However, its been windy several days when I planned to bike and I just didn't have the extra motivation to fight the winds. The holiday parties didn't help either with rides scheduled anywhere from 5:45 AM to 6:30 AM.

Tomorrow, I plan to do an Olympic brick (25 miles bike/10k run). Nice and easy mind you. I have to place myself in the hands of my higher power. Take it one day at a time. Don't want to get hurt.

Then, its off to Miami for lunch with Bob & Melissa to trade triathlon and marathon stories. Kind of like the way ex-anythings tell stories of past benders. The ones where we get all glassy eyed and start thinking that maybe we could squeeze in yet another endurance event onto the training calender. Bob & Melissa are on their way down to Patagonia to do some adventure running. An adventure running vacation? Its like they discovered some new drug that I've never heard of, but which sounds interesting...and perhaps slightly dangerous. I'm definitely interested to hear about this event.

OK, perhaps marathon recovery is a 12 step program. I'd better go make amends to my riding buddies for not showing up for the last several rides. "Hi, my name is Bill, and I'm a runaholic."