Recovery Observations

   It has been a fascinating few weeks, observing just how Body has reacted to the epic adventure I just put it through. Yes, there was pain, but it truly was negligible. There was only about a 24 hour period when my legs made me want to cry, and at a few points, want to vomit. After that, I was no more sore than I would have been after a particularly strenuous workout. My energy level has bounced back quickly, and I've been able to put in decent workouts this week. I know I should probably spend more time allowing for recovery, but I am not pushing myself more than about 75% max. Besides, my season isn't over yet, I still have my first marathon staring at me from about 2 weeks out. My sleep has still been a bit wonky, but that could be due to the changing weather, Autumn looming.
    I had fully expected to be ravenously hungry last week, but I was surprised to actually have less of an appetite than my normal, chronic need to fuel. But that all changed this week. I have felt like a bottomless pit. I can't seem to shovel in enough food to keep the hunger pangs at bay. Two nights this week I even overdid it with organic, dark chocolate, and peanut butter as a late snack. I think Body is attempting to reverse the seven pound deficit it accrued over the last three weeks. I'm okay with that. I don't need to be running my engine so lean, maybe next year as I head into my big event, but not now, not as I recover from hard training and a milestone event. Besides, I do have a few big events left, and need to have my energy as fully recovered as possible. If that means late night noshing on dark chocolate and peanut butter to top off my tanks, so be it, it's not like I am inclined to do that very often. I will say, I am reining in that particular indulgence, a little bit anyway.
    I am actually rather astonished at how much energy I had right after the race, and how quickly Body seems to have recovered. It gives me hope that next year, when I attempt 140.6 miles, or The Epic 250K, however I want to think of it, that I won't totally wreck myself. Now I just have to figure out how to train enough. That is always the dilemma, there is just not enough time.