Recovery, Like a Champ

Beer would not be a great idea

I'm still processing my marathon finish yesterday.  There are just so many details and moments that I want to remember and process.  In the meantime, my body has to heal, preferably enough that I can comfortably sit at my desk tomorrow.

I took today off of work to devote my energy to recovery.  Here are my top tips for recovery.

1. Hydrate. Your body needs water to flush out toxins and recover from the trauma of covering 26 miles.

2. Protein. I took a protein shake as soon as I got home yesterday.  I'm trying PlantFusion, a dairy-, soy- and animal-free powder that has some great stats (120 calories per serving with 21 grams of protein). I used the chocolate powder with almond milk, ice and half a banana. It was mighty tasty, so look for a giveaway later this week.

3. Sleep. I went to bed pretty early last night and got up when my body wanted.

4. Stretch and heat your muscles. I went to the gym today and spent time in the sauna stretching, sweating and hydrating, as well as walking paces in the hot tub.

5. Massage is awesome, always. I had a Groupon for a massage that I cashed in today, and I'm torn. The massage was fantastic, but I didn't care for the chiropractic practice where it took place. The doctor there struck me as odd and disorganized, and my massage started a half an hour after it was scheduled. Also, the offices were semi-private, meaning the walls didn't go all the way up to the ceiling. So I could hear the doctor answering the phone, talking to patients, etc. Not great for finding my zen.

6. Stay active. Even though it's kind of painful, I've been walking as much as I can, taking Napoleon out for walks and cleaning around the house to keep my muscles moving.

Ever have a massage that wasn't quite what you expected?