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Runner’s World September 2003
By Jeff Galloway

Recover from Summer
Run strong this fall with these eight energy-boosting strategies

Consistent summer running and racing can be the perfect setup for a great fall marathon or half-marathon. Or it can leave you physically and mentally burned out, relegating you to the sideline instead of the starting line. Sometimes the first signs of burnout emerge in your legs-they start to feel heavy and achy. Sometimes your sluggish body gives you the first clues, as you begin to struggle on a daily basis just to log a minimal number of miles. And sometimes it’s your mind that starts to bring you down. Whether it’s your legs, body, or brain, the best thing you can do is take action now. The sooner you pinpoint your problem, the sooner you’ll be feeling-and running-better.

FOR TIRED LEGS
Feel great after 38. Daily running can leave your legs feeling dead. Instead, switch to running every other day for at least 2 weeks. When you give yourself 48 hours between runs, your body h as that much more time to repair the microscopic damage that occurs during tough workouts.

Get off to a slow start. A longer, more thorough warmup is often the key to feeling great later in your runs. So start each run by walking for a few minutes, then ease into running slowly.

Give them a break. Running regularly on blacktop or concrete can be tough on your legs. To help rejuvenate them, do half your weekly mileage on softer surfaces such as grass, trails, or all-weather tracks. Treadmills are also easier on the legs.

FOR A SLUGGISH BODY
Fill up the tank. If you notice marked drops in energy, especially during the later miles of your runs, your body may be begging for food. To avoid this sinking feeling, have a high-carbohydrate snack such as pretzels or a banana about an hour before your run.

Refuel for tomorrow. No energy right from the start of a run? You may not have replaced all the glycogen (the carbohydrate stored in and used by your muscles) you spent during your last run. Counter this by eating at least a snack –if not a meal- within an hour after you finish your workout. It should be high in carbohydrate and include a little protein, such as a bagel with some peanut butter.

Get some answers. When you’re low on iron or certain B vitamins, you feel run-down all the time. Consider a consultation with a sports nutritionist who can identify the areas in your diet where you may be deficient. If no dietary problems can be found, your doctor can perform some routine blood tests to root out a medical explanation (such as a thyroid problem) for your fatigue.

FOR A WEARY MIND
Give your mind a mission. To stay motivated, write down a “mission” to be completed by a certain date, and display it in plain sight. Goals could include exploring a new trail, attempting a particularly tough speed workout, or building up to a significantly longer run. It’s best to schedule your mission within the next 4 weeks to maximize mental focus.

Draw motivation from others. There’s a whole running community out there for you to tap into if you’re in a mental slump. Get a pep talk from a friend or running mentor. Hunt down a few inspirational quotes from the best running books or Web sites. One runner I know goes to a popular running route and settles in behind a slower runner. At a particular part of the course, he accelerates ahead and visualizes that he’s about to win an Olympic medal. Hey, if it helps you break out of a slump, go for it.