Orchestrate Your Own Recovery PART 2

Day 4-14: Lost-Your-Mojo Syndrome
The weather feels colder.  Your sick of the colour of your running shoes.  Work should be for the under 30’s.  Where did all this traffic come from?  You think you will just start training again in Spring or Summer.  

If any of these thought processes have crossed your mind, you are likely suffering from Lost-Your-Mojo Syndrome.  Here are some suggestions for getting it back:

DO:

• CLIMB A MOUNTAIN.  Whether it be literal or symbolic, make it your mission to achieve a highpoint.  This might be walking to a peak, learning a new skill or finishing the spare room renovations.  We are addicted to achievement so pick up your camera or a hammer and do something noteworthy.
• EMPOWER OTHERS.  I recently took a Gone Running Tour to my favourite part of Tasmania.  Showing them my playground and helping them summit mountain peaks was like taking a holiday - refreshing and up-lifting.
• INVEST.  A massage.  A physio appointment.  A tweak from the chiropractor.  Each modality has its place and will only speed up your recovery.  Furthermore, investing in yourself will remind you that bliss doesn’t just come from crossing finish lines.
• MOVE.  It shouldn’t be training but it should be simple movements.  Go for a short swim.  Walk barefoot on the beach.  Jog slowly on grass.  Trot a trail or two.  Go wherever and however the heart desires.  
• SOCIALISE.  We need to hibernate for our recovery but chances are you feel like remaining in your warm cave all winter until the daffodils come out.  Short social outings involving running shoes, tea pots and laughter will help you regain the balanced lifestyle that probably got put on hold during the previous training phase.
• SLEEP.  Sleeping, especially in the hours before midnight, is when our body heals. If I am having trouble with healthy sleep routines, I try relaxation and a small dose of Melatonin at bedtime. Melatonin is produced naturally by our body and plays an important role in maintaining our sleep cycle. You can often purchase it from health stores and natural pharmacies.
• EARTH.  My father has a theory that we absorb the busyness of life, much like the generation of static electricity.  His way of teaching me to release this energy was to earth- pitching the tent in nature and sleeping long hours in our sleeping bags.  When I need to unwind you won’t find me at home anymore.

• STRESS.  Stress causes a boost in the catabolic hormone called Cortisol, our fight or flight generator.  Your body won’t want to heal when you are running away from a tiger.  Therefore, avoid stressful situations when possible and if you find yourself in an unavoidable situation, focus on taming the tiger rather than fighting it.
• GO ON A DIET.  Not training and starting to feel frumpy?  I can empathise but now is definitely not the time to pick up the latest Women’s Weekly magazine.  Instead, focus on upping the veggie, healthy fats and protein intakes.  Include plenty of water and some whole-grains.
• JOIN THE GYM.  Unless you need a warm winter haven or some social inclusion, avoid ‘gym training’.  Heavy weight training, boxing classes and any other activities that make washing your hair a painful activity should be avoided.  Acute muscle damage will only slow the repairing of the more chronic tissue degradation still lingering from race day.
• WATCH TOO MUCH TV.  It is easy to slip into sedentary mode.  Sitting down for long periods will cause a shortening of the repairing muscle fibers, especially those around the hip joint.  If that chosen tv series is too all-absorbing, opt for lying on the floor over curled-up on the couch.