Friday Ramble 06/10/22

This week: Active recovery, toe scrunch towels, and next training steps.

Earlier this week, my son and I went out to one of our favorite spots and did an 8.5 mile bike loop on a mostly flat dirt path. While he dusted me at one point on a straightaway – the kid can move – this was not what anyone would call a strenuous training session. 

We stopped for water breaks, took time to admire some wildflowers along the way, and made the tactical decision to ride through every puddle we could find to get as muddy as possible. Pretty great day all around. 

The only strenuous part of the outing involved cramming the bikes into the back of the car, which required some serious dad strength and associated grumbling. This was karma messing with me because I recently broke our bike rack by backing it into a utility pole. Whoops.  

Other than that, we enjoyed a fun afternoon that made both of us happy. The hour of outdoor exercise was just an added bonus. Because I’m mildly obsessive and genuinely curious, I recorded the ride on my watch and was pleased to discover that the data matched my rate of perceived exertion (RPE), which was minimal. 

Those numbers back up my internal feeling that race recovery is progressing nicely. I’m just about ready to jump back into serious training after two weeks of active recovery, which can be as simple as taking a walk or going on a bike ride with your child.  

Active recovery can be any other form of movement you can think of, so long as it’s not difficult or otherwise taxing on your mind or body. After intense periods of exercise, the last thing you want to do is add more stress on top of the pile you’ve already accumulated. 

Despite its lack of pretense, active recovery offers a range of benefits that can help you get back on the proverbial track and ready for more strenuous activity, like a return to training.