October 7, 2005 – Hello fellow skiers! I hope that your summer training has been going well and the last month or so of dryland training will be spent productively, working on fine-tuning all these last little things in technique, intensity workouts, nutrition (thank you Chandra for valuable tips!) and recovery! So I will explain 5 ways to speed- up your recovery times. These strategies have long been the favorites of my Canmore skimates, and I hope you will adopt them as well.

#1. Drink your recovery drink after workouts to help these muscles to recover and rebuild faster. Usually we consume a carbs/ protein combo post- workout shake ~15 min after finishing training to optimize nutrients absorption in the muscles.

#2 Ah! Freeze these tired muscles! After a hard workout, such as strength or super-long run or hike there is nothing better than jumping in ice- cold river or lake to freeze your exhausted legs. Endure the freezing goodness for at least 30 sec and up to 5 min and believe me, it feels so good after! I do not know the exact science behind freezing the muscles after hard training, but I believe it has something to do with prevention of tissue inflammation and therefore acceleration of muscle recovery.

#3 a. Stretch your muscles regularly to keep them supple and injury-free. Again, the little rule here is to stretch the particular muscle for at least 30 sec to get the effect.

b. This one could get a bit expensive, but it will be money well spent- enroll in Yoga classes or do yoga at home to increase your flexibility, and stretch the muscles (while doing some funky- cool postures) that are usually hard to stretch

#4 See your massage therapist often. Honestly, my cell phone contains 7 different phone numbers for massage therapists in Canmore, Montreal and even Quebec city! It makes such a big difference for me in training and recovery when I see my massage therapists often! Most of us here on the National Team book a massage about once weekly (or as often as the budget allows). In addition, some insurance companies cover massages, so make sure to take advantage of it as well!

#5 Napping is an awesome way to give your body some recovery time and it is the laziest and most effortless way as well! The best is to nap anywhere from 30 min and up to 1.5 hrs (depending how tired you are and how much time you have).

So stay on top of your recovery to make sure you’re one happy and healthy skier – enjoy the cool fall weather and these last long rollerski sessions!