Anyone here training for a fall race?
Maybe you’re not training for a race, but your schedule is shifting, the kids are going back to school, work is getting busy again, you’re looking ahead toward the holidays.
These tips are also relevant to you, so keep reading!
1.Prioritize your sleep.
If it feels like I’m always talking about sleep, it’s because it is that important! Our bodies repair and heal during sleep. Our liver carries out most of it’s detox functions while we sleep. Sleep is important for optimal metabolic function. Not getting enough sleep is a stressor on the body. If you aren’t sleeping well our enough, you should not be getting up early to get that high intensity workout in. Stress on top of stress begets more inflammation and more stress. If you want to be the most productive and hit your goals, you need to prioritize your sleep.
And if you feel you’re already doing pretty good in the sleep department, but you have extra tasks ahead of you – big workouts, a work deadline, family commitments, even more sleep is essential. Try for 7-9 hours each night of restorative sleep. This is especially important when training for a fall race (or any race!)
2. Drink more water (with minerals!)
Yes, another thing I’ve talked about a lot. But without minerals and fluids, our cells can’t do the extra work we need them to do. Water + sodium, potassium, magnesium, and whole food vitamin C is key. How much water should you be drinking each day? Check out this post.
3. Eat more.
More carbs. More calories. More food. You need to fuel your higher training load adequately. If you’re feeling run down or not reaching your workout goals, you probably need to eat more. Not sure how much you should be eating? This TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator is a good starting point.
And for specifics on exactly what to eat before, during, and after your fall race training workouts, grab my Nutrition for Endurance Athletes cheat sheet.
4. Do a schedule audit.
What is on your plate that you can change, decrease, or let go of? Training adds a ton of physical and mental stress to the body, so by decreasing stressors in other areas of your life, you will be able to adequately handle the training load without as much chance of illness or injury.
5. Give yourself grace.
Not every workout is going to be perfect. Some will be lousy. You aren’t going to eat perfectly and sleep enough every single night. Life happens. What matters is how consistent you are. Get back up and focus on tomorrow.
Fall is a busy season, with the shift from summer, and looking ahead towards many big races and events. But it’s only going to get busier as fall turns into winter and the holidays show up. NOW is the time to be building these habits so you can thrive though whatever Fall race or goal you have ahead.
P.S. Are you nailing each of these tips, but still struggling to hit your goals or dealing with chronic fatigue? You may need to look at your iron status. Check out this post and then let’s see if we can find a solution together!
