For a dear friend who is getting back into training after a forced break, there are some things to know while making those big plans. Yes you have a lot of miles and knowledge from previous training, but your body and spirit have taken a hit. It is time to go a little slow on some things while still having some fun too. Patience is required but as long as you trust yourself to take it one day at a time, you will get there.
First, there needs to be utmost honesty in however you are feeling before, during and after training. You cannot rely on what was normal before. You have a new normal based on months and months in your sofa stadium. New sensations must be acknowledged with the full understanding that some of the those niggles will wait and greet you in the morning. Spend time on the boring stretching and warm downs. Do more that you think is necessary. If you need to stand in the shower a little longer to feel relaxed, then do so. And definitely prioritize sleep as the main source of recovery over any supplement, crazy stretch or mind set.
Secondly, every second session needs to have a twist. As a former sofa spud, those boring workouts will make getting back into shape feel even more tedious than necessary. Throw in as many cross training events, games, and one offs to keep your body guessing. You don’t need the crazy miles or reps. You just need to stay healthy and want to keep coming back for more the next day. Be inventive. Share the session with others when possible. Your endurance will come back before you know it.
And finally, track everything. Measure what you can. Find ways to way to feel good about the tiniest improvements away from the normal stats used before. Times, distances and scores are for the future. Today you need to note sensations, recovery times, total time on feet… Write them down. Check your notes often to catch any back slides in case things get too comfortable.
Most of all, welcome back. You will get to where to want to go simply by getting off the sofa and beginning in any way that feels OK today. Tomorrow, readjust and try again. Keep going. You are going to be great… once again.
Kelea Quinn 