Foam rollers, pizza and other keys to surviving training

Eat, sleep, train, life, repeat.

So, you’ve smashed a 100km ride, nailed a triathlon, or just bonked HARD ¾ way through your Sunday fun ride… (we’ve all been there). What comes next? Recovery.

Recovery is often discussed with the goal of peak performance for elite athletes, but the vast majority of us aren’t in that category.

Speaking from experience, it is extremely hard to replicate the hours and intensity that the pros are putting in because we have jobs. The advantage of full-time athletes is that they have time to recover and recover well. That’s where the real gains are made.

Is it possible to train and recover like a pro and live a normal life? Not really, but can we take some tips from what they do and integrate them into our pre and post training routines? Absolutely.

So this one is for us, the ‘normal’ people. Let’s look at eight things you can do to train and still have a normal life without feeling like a lead-legged zombie.

Refuel like a champ

Post-workout nutrition isn’t just about eating anything in sight, but sometimes it comes close. Aim to eat within 30–60 minutes of finishing your session. Don’t be afraid of the carbs, as your body needs them. Let’s also take this opportunity to say that keeping topped up with carbs whilst on the bike will make a huge difference to your performance during and after the ride.  Before any training session, make sure you have your post-training food ready in the house. Get back, shower, eat. If you’re debating between a recovery shake and a pizza… why not both?

Aim for 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per KG of body weight per day, depending on training intensity. Lighter training needs around 1.2–1.4 g/KG, while heavy or strength-focused phases benefit from 1.6–2.0 g/KG. For optimal recovery, try to consume 20–30 grams of protein within an hour of finishing your session.

use a massage gun

Similar to foam rollers, Massage guns are great for targeting tight spots after a long ride or race. Just avoid bony areas as they can really hurt! Massage guns help increase blood flow, reduce muscle soreness, and improve range of motion. Ideal!

Hydrate

It’s warming up now, which means you are going to sweat more. If you’re as bad as I am, then you’re probably going to finish your ride with fluid still in your bottles. Now’s the time to replenish. Dehydration will impair recovery and performance the next day, let alone make you feel sluggish for the rest of the day. If your pee is the colour of Newcastle brown ale, it’s time for more water. If you struggle to drink much water, whack an electrolyte tab in your bottle.

Listen to your body

Sometimes, sacking off a session is the most elite athlete move you can make both physically and mentally. Rest is best!

Sleep is your friend

There is no getting away from it: Sleep is when the magic happens, muscles repair, hormones rebalance and dreams of actually being a good bike rider can manifest. Aim for 7–9 hours per night, especially after intense sessions. The odd late night isn’t the end of the world, but if you’ve been training hard, making time to get into bed an hour earlier than usual will make all the difference.

Stretch out

Gentle stretching or yoga can help reduce muscle soreness and keep your body limber. Just don’t overdo it, as this is recovery. Little and often is better than nothing at all.

Get a massage… or at least buy (and use!) a foam roller

Sports massage can reduce soreness and improve circulation, but your foam roller is a pretty good alternative for maintenance. They also hurt a lot! The foam roller is ideal for stretching those blessed IT bands, quads and calves.

don’t obsess OVER THE NUMBERS

Recovery metrics from your watch or app are great until they ruin your day. Use tools like HRV (heart rate variability) or resting heart rate as guides, not gospel.

Final Thoughts

Next time you’re tempted to train through fatigue, remember: even pros have days off, take naps, cut rides short and eat pizza. Do what you can and enjoy it. There’s more to life than training.