The Tiger in the Tank

Your workouts are not complete until you refuel, with carbs and protein, to repair and recover from your workout.

I learned that lesson well this weekend, after my 15K in Dothan, and didn’t have anything to eat until almost 4 hours after the race. Although I didn’t feel sore after the race, the next morning I woke up with sore muscles which had never been sore before. I have sore ankles for the first time after a road race. I've had sore ankles from trail runs before, but not from running on the road.

I usually carry at least a banana and a Clif bar with me, even to races, just in case they don’t have post-race food, or the other runners finish it before I get a chance to partake. This time I didn’t, because I figured a well-organized race such as the Hog Wild should have plenty, but they only had food I didn’t eat. That’s no excuse, I could have taken off for a grocery store and grabbed some food, but I wanted to socialize with my running buddies, some of which I hadn’t seen in a year, as well as my running friends from Montgomery.

Every workout routine should have the post-workout refuel within the first hour after the workout is completed. Even if you feel good, you may not feel the damage you’ve done by skipping a post-workout meal until the next morning.

Lesson learned.