Recovery and Kids

Me and my boys AJ and Keegan, this summer.

i've realized a couple of things rather slowly after my last few major 'efforts'.  Not only do the joys of having a family make it a bit tougher to train (well, not really on my schedule, but i suppose this is a common problem for many 'endurance' athletes) and make carving out enough time for longer adventures difficult, but they also affect recovery!  my whole focus leading up to events like the recent Mantario trail run (see previous post) is on the event itself - staying healthy and sticking to the training program that i'm hoping will prepare me for it.  I schedule things solely based on the logistical requirements of pulling off the adventure, and don't give much thought to the days that will inevitably follow it.  I'm now feeling that i need to amend this practice!

One thing that a limited training volume + extended effort seems to produce is rather acute DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).  the morning immediately following the run both mario and I felt pretty good, considering.  Two mornings after i could barely walk, while mario fared much better.  To make matters even more painful, i was stationed at home with both boys for the day as my wife was working.  They had missed me over the weekend and so were amped up to wrestle, climb on me, and otherwise be the spirited devils that they are.  I'd gotten very little sleep the night before as my aches had kept me up until around 3 am when i'd finally taken some vitamin I (ibuprofen) - only to be woken at seven when the kids decided it was time to get up.  Hmmm.

I found myself thinking about my brother jealously - he'd just finished a 4 day adventure race on the west coast, his team taking second (nice job guys!!!).  he was undoubtedly extremely fatigued and sleep deprived as well, but i envied him a little in his ability to direct his own recovery, rather than have it directed for him by the blissfully unaware minds of two energetic little boys who want their dad's attention, all day long.  Of course the envy is temporary, as is the discomfort.

And as I struggle to keep my frustration in check when keegan digs his elbow into my thigh as he climbs into my lap for the 10th time in half an hour i think - maybe someday, if i keep fit enough, i'll be able to feel their pain and sense their envy as we recover from some epic journey that we've taken together.