• Monday:  6-8 miles easy
• Tuesday:   Long intervals (8-10 miles)
• Wednesday:   10-12 miles
• Thursday:  Tempo (8-10 miles)
• Friday:   6-8 miles ready
• Saturday:  16-22 miles
• Sunday:  6-8 miles easy

Both exciting and frustrating, research and experience on exercise recovery is moving so fast that, tragically, a summary is often outdated the moment 

it gets put into print. Here is a synopsis of some of my personal conclusions after scouring the literature, current as of press time.  Ask again tomorrow and some answers may very well change.  

The best tactic to maximizing recovery may very well be the simplest: dietary consumption of macro and micronutrients at levels recommended by the FDA, to include potassium, magnesium, and zinc- key micronutrients that contribute to exercise performance.  Yes, it is true that vegetarians/vegans should take a daily Vitamin B12 supplement.  Additionally, although not well studied, my anecdotal experience (to include my own) is that these athletes may be somewhat higher risk for the development of stress fractures and should also consider calcium, vitamin D and iron supplementation (although even iron supplementation is somewhat controversial). 

We are starting to see research trials on routine products found in your grocery store when it comes to exercise effects.  Interestingly, there is some compelling (although still very low level) of evidence suggests that tart cherry juice and green tea may be beneficial.  Hopefully, we will soon have a verdict on other currently trending products such as beetroot juice and chia.

Caution is advised if you are considering over the counter supplements.  Beware that the entire supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA and products can be fraught with problems ranging from purity, label inaccuracy, and ingredient disclosure problems.  Moreover, exceeding recommended amounts is unnecessary and potentially harmful. 

On the antioxidant front, Vitamins C and E supplements are currently receiving a bit of attention, but studies on their independent and combined use have either shown mixed results, no effect, or detrimental effects (Yikes!).  One supplement that has a shade of promise in battling antioxidants is N-Acetyl-Cysteine.  When taken with the correct dose (600mg, 2x/day), you may experience a recovery benefit.  Before you run to your favorite online retailer, though, remember that large scale, long-term studies on safety/efficacy have not been completed, individual results may certainly vary, and higher dosing is definitely not better. 

The jury is in on sleep, folks.  It rocks. There are innumerable trials that have demonstrated improvements in a number of exercise parameters with adequate quantity AND quality of sleep.  If you are struggling to make performance gains, don't forget to check this box.  At a minimum, remember that sleep combats the immune suppression that is created with prolonged exercise.  With your top priority race on the calendar, you simply cannot afford to fall short on this part of the training plan.

To my knowledge, there are really only two current devices that have been studied in the medical literature, foam rollers and calf compression sleeves.  I personally have a strong testimony of the power of foam rolling.  Even some of my most skeptical athletes have returned admitting increased mobility and decreased stiffness and soreness when using foam rollers after exercise.  They have to work, right?  Unfortunately, though, the trial results have been mediocre- likely the result of the difficulty in designing a scientifically rigorous study to adequately study them.  Calf compression sleeves.......are they performance enhancers?  Recovery aids?  A method for an athlete to identify themselves in public?  Fashion statements?  These devices are purported to assist the venous system with flushing out toxins as well as the arterial system with limiting inflammation.  Some of my patients report benefit with sleeves when treating shin splints, implying potentially another mechanism of action.  A VERY small amount of medical research has been done on these devices.  It appears that calf sleeves do not provide benefit when worn during exercise.  You may, however, gain a small degree of enhanced recovery when worn after strenuous runs.  How long?  How intense?  Socks versus sleeves?  Which brand is best?  Those are all variables that have not been flushed out. (Excuse the pun). 

Although there is a pretty darn good chance that in the time it took to write this article more science has been published, the most consistently positive data proves that your mother was right.  The formula is simple: eat well, sleep well.