Today M and I ran 7.3 miles. It really wasn't bad at all! We stopped to stretch 30 minutes in, and then we had a 2 minute walk break around minute 55 / mile 5. Other than that, it was fabulous! We kept an 11 minute mile pace, which I'm super comfortable and happy with. It's not too challenging to keep the pace but it also doesn't feel super easy or boring, so it seems just right!
I was actually not that worn out or sore at the end of the run. I probably could have run further if we had needed to, which is an AWESOME way to feel. I knew I was likely to become sore though, so after we did some good stretching I decided to head home and attempt an ice bath.
Mistake #1: thinking that the water that flows into my bathtub might actually be cold. Even on the coldest setting, it was a pretty comfortable temperature.
Mistake #2: thinking that the ice in my freezer (we have an ice machine in there) was enough ice. It melted in approximately 2 minutes.
Mistake #3: thinking that 10-20 minutes was a nice amount of time to just relax, and thus not bringing my computer or a book or anything into the bathroom... so boring.
Mistake #4: not having scrubbed my tub immediately before and then seeing every speck of imperfection while I sat there with nothing to do.
So yes, with the ice the water got much colder, but definitely not cold enough. I put on a sweatshirt but I honestly didn't even need it! I guess I'll need to buy a bag of ice next time. After 10 minutes of boredom I got out and just put ice packs on my legs for a while before I went to work. I'm somewhat sore this afternoon, but nothing terrible that I can't handle.
Have you ever tried an ice bath? Did it help? How much ice did you use, and how long did you stay in?
I have never tried an ice bath but I think it would definitely be a great idea for when I'm sore from a workout.
ReplyDeleteHey Sara! I have used ice baths after 18 or 20 mile runs sometimes, and I think it helps. I hated the idea of my stomach touching the water so I bought a big garbage can and dumped two bags of ice in it and filled it with water. I stayed in 20 minutes but I think 15 would do the trick. The first 90 seconds or so is awful. I bring a magazine to read while I stand in there! I think whether to use an ice bath or not depends on how sore you get after runs. I have friends who have run more marathons than me who still get sore after every long run, but I don't get sore very often, so I don't use them much.
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