TIART: Run. Rest and Recover. Repeat.

***This post is part of the Runner's Lounge Take It and Run Thursday.

If it wasn't for the resting and recovering in between runs, I don't know that I'd be much of a runner. I LOVE resting. When it comes to sleeping, I can rock it out like nobody's business.

Unfortunately, I can't sleep my life away (and I don't want to!) so I have to do other things aside from a regular amount of sleep to help my body recover after a run.

Short workouts usually don't present much of a problem. As long as I hydrate and eat a good meal post-workout, I'm good to go. It's the long runs that kick my butt sometimes.

I usually do my long runs on Saturday so that I can have all weekend to recover. After the run, I treat myself to a good meal. There's nothing better than heading to Olive Garden after a 20+ mile run. Sometimes, I schedule myself a pedicure on Saturday afternoon as both a treat for finishing a long run and a way of pampering my feet after all of their hard work. I try to get home and take a short nap and then get back out with friends on Saturday night so that I can keep moving and prevent my body from becoming like that of a stiff brick.

On Sunday, I take it easy. NO runs. I sometimes hit the gym to go to yoga class to help my body stretch back out and prepare for the coming week. Believe me - it feels terrific to walk out of that class the day after a long run.

I don't have any fancy methods or any specific foods to recommend. For me, I just enjoy relishing in the joy that comes from finishing a terrific workout and then make sure I'm getting enough food, water and sleep. Planning the occasional reward also makes it a lot more fun and reminds me to forget about any aches and pains I might feel post run. :)