If one were to comb through the 4+ years of newsletters in the Running, Probably archive, the phrase that’s been repeated the most would have to be: The body doesn’t know miles. The body knows stress. When we talk about recovery in a training sense, we’re talking about managing stress.
Whether it’s work stress, life stress, parenting stress, training stress, or any other type of stress doesn’t matter. Stress is stress. While compartmentalizing stress may be necessary for day-to-day survival, it’s not great for managing its long-term effects. It’s definitely not a good strategy for maximizing training adaptations, which require significant amounts of stress and recovery to optimize fitness gains.
How can you decompress in a world that seems constantly stressed? Find things you like doing that allow you to relax. It sounds simple, and honestly, it is. The problem is our world doesn’t like it when you take time for yourself. A few ideas for beating the system:
Ditch digital and go analog: Leave the phone at home and live life like it's 1987. Read a book, take a walk, watch a sunset. Indulge in everyday experiences we used to take for granted.
Develop a contemplative practice: Yoga, meditation, Pilates, tai-chi, anything that connects you to your breath and allows you to slow your inner world down a few beats will help your nervous system chill out.
Be intentional: You’re allowed to take it easy every once in a while. Especially when you’re stressed. Honor your recovery like you would any other block of time.
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