Ogden Marathon RECOVERY & how CrossFit helped me

this is the workout I did 2 days after Ogden Marathon.

I am positive that after any other marathon I've done I wouldn't even thought doing squats was possible, let alone HEAVY squats.

It's because of CrossFit.

I know I was (and still am) unhappy with my performance at Ogden.
But I did realize a few things after the race (and during).

It was never my legs that were hurting.
Sure, my feet were sore and I had a moment when I thought my calves were going to start cramping, but they never did.
My legs were NOT the problem.
My chest cramping/weird constriction/not breathing was the problem.
As soon as I crossed the finish line and saw my Mom, I just collapsed on the ground into a puddle of tears.
But when it was time to get up and I mentally prepared myself for that God-awful, every leg muscle is locked up, feeling... but it never came. I could get up and down with out major pain.

When we got back to the hotel room and I was explaining to my Mom that I just wasn't sore like I used to be... I even did a few air squats, just to see if I could. And I noticed my hamstrings were tight, but not unbearable.

It's because of CrossFit.

At work on Monday, I tackled the stairs without problems.

source

Any marathon runner knows what a B!TCH stairs can be (for DAYS) after a marathon.
Most of us have go down the stairs backwards or sideways.
Nope. Not I.
When my Mom and I went to lunch that day and were walking down the stairs and I got down without any problems, she looked at me and said, "Seriously?!"

It's because of CrossFit.

I know my time was far from what I am capable of doing.
I know that I can run faster.
I know that this marathon is not my best.
(and I will do another... some day)

But my body has NEVER bounced back like this after a race. EVER.
I went to CrossFit every day the week after the Marathon.
and I LOVED it.

I KNOW that CrossFit changed my body for the better.
and will CONTINUE to change my body in the months (& years) to come.
It's made me STRONG.
and I will get STRONGER.

I know a lot of my runner friends may not understand what this "CrossFit" business is about.
and specifically question what CrossFit Endurance is all about.
WELL... all my runner friends... Runner's World (which is like the runner's bible) has an article outlining why every runner should try CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance.

MY CrossFit gym. LOVE ELEVATED CROSSFIT. Best CrossFit gym in UT County. 

Read the entire article HERE.

some of my favorite parts:
"All that heavy lifting can translate to distance running. For one, it increases the force of your stride—the more powerful your push-off, the less effort you exert with each stride, the easier fast running feels, says Stephen S. Cheung, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology at Brock University in Ontario. "It also makes you more balanced and likely less prone to injury," he says."


I know a few girls right now who are dealing with overuse injuries. 

If you can build up your strength, while building up mileage and speed, you can avoid injury.

Some great strength exercises are Deadlifts and Squats.

"It may also make you faster. In one study, highly trained runners who substituted almost a third of their running workouts with explosive, sport-specific strength training shaved 30 to 40 seconds off their 5-K times after nine weeks compared with those who ran and did minimal strength training."


I know you've heard of HIIT training. this is it.
CrossFit is IT!
Try Box Jumps and Double Unders!
Anything Tabata style... 

"There are no easy days or recovery runs in CFE. You're either on or you're off. "The act of taking real rest might be enough to help many runners improve performance," says Gibala. "You have runners going out for these recovery runs, but they're just making themselves tired. You're better off reducing the total training load, getting rid of the junk, and getting real rest.""

I am a FIRM believer in rest days now.
I used to run 6, sometimes 7 days, a week.
I got burnt out doing that and CrossFit.
When I run now, it means something.
Every run has a purpose.
I'm trying to avoid junk miles.

Anyways... PLEASE go read the article.
You may understand a little bit more about why I LOVE CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance.
and... if you live locally (aka Utah County) and want to come hang out at Elevated CrossFit...
Let me know. I can help get you set up for a free session with Tyson!



Are YOU a CrossFitter?
If not, do you want to try it?? (say yes! say YES!)
If you are a local... do you want to come try CrossFit WITH ME at ELEVATED CROSSFIT?