Three Key Components To Healthy Training

"No pain, no gain"…that is the motto for many athletes, especially track and cross country athletes who try to run through the pain. However, sometimes that pain is a sign of something worse…an injury. So how can you avoid hurting yourself while trying to push your body to the max? Well, I spoke to some of the top trainers and nutritionists in the country who keep USA track and field athletes healthy and this is what they have to say.

Ralph Reiff is St. Vincent Sports Performance Executive Director and trainer to US Olympians. He says sleep, nutrition and recovery time are the three key components to staying healthy while training. In fact, Reiff says sleep is the single most important performance enhancer and recovery tool…period! While many high school athletes know sleep is important, with academic and social commitments, few actually get in the required rest needed for peak performance. Greg Christensen, Lovejoy's (TX) head cross country coach for the Boys 5A State Champions, couldn't agree more. Lovejoy has a low injury rate which he contributes to his team's success at the State Meet. "For prevention, we stress (getting) sleep. That is when the body repairs itself with 7-9 hours nightly. We heavily stress sleep and nutrition as the little things that make the BIG differences."

Keeping your body fueled and hydrated for high performance is critical according to Sports Dietitian, Anna Turner with St. Vincent Sports Performance. Turner says, "High school athletes should be fueling every two to three hours. After consuming lunch, two to three hours later falls perfectly as a pre- practice snack. Having a snack after school and before practice is vital to ensure that you have enough energy to practice as hard as you can." Turner recommends a snack around 200-350 calories containing 30-60g of carbohydrates. Don't forget the water! She also says, "If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, low energy or have reoccurring stress fractures, consult your local sports dietitian to assess for energy balance to ensure you are consuming enough calories to fuel your body's needs." (Anna Turner had so much good information, there's another article totally dedicated to nutrition for the high school here.)

And finally, there is recovery…recovery from a hard workout or race requires a pro-active plan. Ralph Reiff believes elite and emerging elite athletes should have at least one medical person they can trust. That could be your team trainer, family physical or someone else with a medical background. Reiff says this is important because they can help you make decisions about maintaining your health and what treatments may be required.

Ice baths versus Cryotherapy? I know that's one question many athletes and their parents contemplate. Reiff says both have scientific proof that they work to speed up your body's recovery. Ice baths require you staying in for 15-20 minutes. Cryo about two minutes but more expensive than a tub of icy water. Reiff says message therapy and compression garments are also useful tools in aiding in recovery. Both can reduce lactic build up, reducing muscle soreness and swelling. However, Reiff cautions that athletes respond differently to different treatments. Again this is where your trusted medical person can help find what works best for you.

But even with proper sleep, nutrition and recovery, sometimes the unthinkable happens and you get an injury. It is so important that you are a compliant patient and follow your medical team's advice paying attention to the details of your treatment and hopefully, you'll be back up and running in no time.