I went to get a massage Monday afternoon and that helped me feel better. Jen instructed me again.... I had forgotten what she'd told me to do after my long run.... about doing an ice bath. No wonder I forgot! Here are ice bath instructions and articles:
For recovery after a long run, tough workout or race, nothing beats an ice bath. Soaking in a tub filled with water and ice will help reduce inflammation of tissues and joints, relieve soreness, and speed up your recovery. Here's how to take an ice bath.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:
- Fill your bathtub with cold water, and slowly get in. Let your body adjust to the temperature. (Note: If anyone else is home, you may want to warn them that they may hear some screaming coming from the bathroom. Let them know that you're fine -- just cold!) If you really don't like the cold, it's fine to go in the tub wearing running tights or sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt or towel (wrapped around your upper body). You'll still get the same benefits.
- Dump one 5-pound bag of ice (or a few trays of ice) into the tub. If you can tolerate that, dump another 5-pound bag of ice in the tub. (Again, the warning to family members or roommates is helpful for this part.)
- Stay in the tub for 10 minutes. If you feel numbness, get out sooner.
- After the bath don't jump to a hot shower, dry off, get some warm clothes and something warm to drink like hot chocolate.
What You Need
- Tub
- Cold water
- Two 5-pound bags of ice
Nikki Kimball, a physical therapist in Bozeman, Montana, was named USATF's Ultrarunner of the Year in 2004, 2006, and 2007.
Long runs are essential to the training distance runners because they enable the body to adapt to running greater distances safely and efficiently. Unfortunately, long runs also increase the runner's risk of injury, which can result in unplanned—and unwelcome—time off. One simple way to offset the risks inherent to long bouts of running is cold-water immersion, known to many runners as the ice bath.
Cryotherapy ("cold therapy") constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once the skin is no longer in contact with the cold source, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster blood flow, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body. "Ice baths don't only suppress inflammation, but help to flush harmful metabolic debris out of your muscles," says David Terry, M.D., an ultra-runner who has finished both the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and the Wasatch Front 100-Mile Endurance Run 10 consecutive times.
Though you could use individual ice packs, cold-water immersion generally produces a greater and longer lasting change in deep tissues and is more a more efficient means of cooling large groups of muscles simultaneously. The discomfort associated with sitting in a tub full of ice water scares off some athletes. I admit that after my long runs I'd rather reward myself with a hot shower and a big plate of scrambled eggs than an ice bath. However, I have been running ultra-marathons for nearly 10 years without any significant injuries, and I credit my ritual of post-workout ice baths for much of my orthopedic health.
Over those years, I've discovered tricks to make the ice bath experience more tolerable. First, I fill my tub with two to three bags of crushed ice. Then I add cold water to a height that will cover me nearly to my waist when I sit in the tub. Before getting in, I put on a down jacket and a hat and neoprene booties, make myself a cup of hot tea, and collect some entertaining reading material to help the the time pass quickly.
Once you finish, dry yourself off and regain your senses! Enjoy a full post-run meal and approximately forty-five minutes after your bath, you can take a warm shower. Do not do this sooner or you will negate the ice bath you just subjected yourself to!
Good blog on the ice bath.
http://marit-chrislock-lauterbach.blogspot.com/2008/01/10-steps-to-perfect-ice-bath.html
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