Post Ultra Trail Recovery - how long ?
After an ultra, depending on a boat load of things, most humans fall into the deepest fatigue after 1 or 2 weeks of wind down. Depending on the intensity and/or the length of the race and of course about the integrity of the human being itself, the fatigue can stay from 3 days to 3 weeks. Unless it was a very well organised challenge, for this reason of prolonged fatigue, or possibility of prolonged fatigue, I don't like to chain together big events. I have seen so many runners get disappointed already during the first event, then carrying over this to second. Failing the second event, while already being in a very tired state, so falling into a deep and depressive state for months afterwards. It just doesn't make sense.
In case of a full on professional runner, that is totally different. If you could bring on 10hours of sleep every night, get 1-2-3 naps every day, focus on hydration and food and chill like a master, then yes, everything is possible.
Most of us are not professionals, even if some could be or could beat pros in some races. We still don't have a time-investment / work free revenue, liberating 30 to 80hours a week towards training and recovery.
How to plan that post ultra running recovery ?
Sleep, hydrate and eat like a mad man. That is about quantity, but get on the quality too. Get on those supplements if you knew what to take. I am hammering Essential Amino Acids with creatine, taking around 3 to 4 grams of Vitmain C daily, had a big B12 shot, taking liquid B12 and Vitamin D3/K2, taking a vitamin B complex once a day when fatigued. Most importantly I use a thyroid support supplement, what has all the trace minerals before going to bed, with a magnesium solution and Zinc. I have a pharmacy underneath my home and fortunately they carry a very high quality brand with very little to no excipients, so I use that. I don't rate and do much food based supplements, like proteins, sugars and mass gainers. If you felt like that you needed to include those, in order to unload your mass of calories, then go ahead. If I did that, I would prefer to go with a lot of different sort of plant based proteins. Like a mix of hemp and lupin used with chia and flex seeds. Hemp & Flex pro is a good mix with some creatine. You can make a smoothie with it, while adding in a banana and a spoonful of spirulina.
Omega 3s are also extremely important. I don't take supps. I use a lot of chia seeds and eat at least 4 cans of sardines a week, but also eat fish like dorade and other locally wild caught wild fish. I don't eat any salmons and non fatty fish like tuna.
Aerobic training is also crucial to move the lymphatic system, the circulation, to un-crust the heart and to get those muscles eliminate the deeply integrated by-products.
I started this time my 1st rec. week with 4hours of training. It included 2 bike rides and 2 runs, then 7 sessions of yoga and pilates, of around 10 to 30minutes each. My second week of training was already better, despite the fatigue settling in mid week. 7hours with a quality long run in the weekend of 2h25min and 800m of elevation gain. Still have lingering fatigue, but slept over 10hours without waking up for a second for the last 4 nights. Taking the magnesium / zinc / thyroid supplement / liposomal vitamin C / liposomal iron before bed is something that works extremely well 100% of all the time. It is just magic. Way more effective with Mg on it's own or a simple zma. To make it work of course you must hydrate during the day as Zinc works well over 30mgs. If you were a big lad like me, you would need at least 45mgs. I take 15mg in the morning post workout than 30mg before bed.
There is also fasting. I do once a week a 24h fast. During the ultra recovery I would definitely do a little longer one, like 28 to 32 hours fasting. That is crucial to eliminate dying cells and make fresh and new ones. We can see all sort of information about taking fats, amino acids, creatine, EAAs and stuff during the fast. No ! Just salted water. Fasting is not easy, it should not made easier. It is just how it is. Leave it as it is , make it work. It is mental. That is it. My first couple of days, months ago was a bit weird. I had some sugar swings and balance issues. After the 3rd Monday, however, I just carry through my day and that is it. I drink a lot, I enjoy my mineralised water and that is it. I can even train easily at Z1 if wanted 3 to 4 hours and do any sort of strength and conditioning. I simply eat around 7pm Monday night, next day I eat around 20h30 in the evening. That is it. Simply done.
Weight
I don't weight myself and don't put any significance to weight. I am enjoying life and getting things done. I don't eat crap, I don't eat in restaurants and bakeries ever, I don't do takeaway and don't order. I eat raw, I cook and if wanted to eat sweets or pig out on cake, I ask my wife too bake a good one and eat it with jam. A kg of organic wheat flour is like 89cents and a kg of oat-flakes is 2€. That is like 4 giant cakes with real chocolate. If not, I can get organic, fermented pre-made cake base for like 1.50 and put on 4 shredded apples to make a big apple-tart.
Post race I was 80g, last night I was 87kg. I leave my body fluctuate with stress and training. I do not stress it ever with dieting and cutting calories and eating one particular diet. It must be natural. Fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and eggs. If I felt like not eating meat for a month, I just eat with no meat. If felt that I need those steaks, I would eat them.
When training is up to it's normal, my weight is stabilised at 82 to 85kg. That is a strong muscular foundational base for me. When training for short events, like 5k to 25km races, that is much lower. Normal. My running volume instead of like 60km a week, is like 160km. Like last year at the beginning instead of the ultras I was competing in the cross country season, then doing short trail events. I was 78to 80kg. I still felt great, but while enjoyed my ultra races, I was not really in a physical state to do longer than 50km events and even those were not really well executed.
That is it. Recovery is not complicated. It is not magic. It takes and needs time. The more time you spend to do other things on the side, the more time it will need. Cheers !!!
Dorogi Levente
Ultra running, Recovery, Post-race, Endurance training, Fatigue management, Sleep quality, Hydration strategies, Nutrition, Supplements, Essential Amino Acids, Creatine, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3/K2, B-complex vitamins, Thyroid support, Trace minerals, Magnesium, Zinc, Plant-based proteins, Hemp protein, Lupin protein, Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Omega-3 fatty acids, Sardines, Fish consumption, Aerobic training, Lymphatic system, Circulation, Muscle recovery, Yoga, Pilates, Training load, Long runs, Elevation gain, Fasting, Cellular regeneration, Mental resilience, Weight management, Stress reduction, Balanced diet, Organic food, Home cooking, Sugar intake, Physical activity, Cross training, Adaptation, Holistic health, Mind-body connection
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