Down in the DOMS

This weeks physiology lesson: You are doing something wrong in your training if your glutes are more sore leading up to your first steeplechase of the season than the day after it.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a result of a muscular mechanical hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain) that occurs a day or two following unaccustomed eccentric (contraction while lengthening) muscle contraction.  The cause of this hyperalgesia is not yet known but there is pretty good evidence that the vasodilator bradykinin that is produced during eccentric heavy exercise such as running signals an increase in receptors involved in the production of nerve growth factor (NGF).  NGF is elevated 12-48 hours following the exercise a comparable time course to DOMS.

This all would be super interesting if you could apply it toward training in a way in which you could exercise the muscles to be accustomed to the activity so as to not produce the strong physiological reaction on race day.  You would do this by setting up a schedule periodizing your training to introduce concentric activity in increasing increments with recovery time (12-48hrs) to allow NGF and other inflammatory markers to recede before introducing another intense workout or competition.

That's Training and Conditioning 101.  Of course I need it dumbed...DOMed (so sorry, I promise no more awful puns) down even more.   I know that I am most sore about 18 hours following a hard work or race.  This means, preferably, I should not do anything DOMS-worthy two days before risking my reputation as a decent steeplechaser.  No matter how horribly unprepared I am for going over barriers and waterjumps, I should not spend 2 hours perfecting my form on Thursday evening if I'm racing Saturday morning...excellent, now I know.

More than a physiology lesson though, I think I need to include a little more psychology in my running.  Sure it didn't help my chances that I went into this Saturday's race a bit sore, but that doesn't explain the frustration that surrounds my running these days.  I've always thought of myself as a consistent runner. Sure, I've had disappointing races but for the most part I always knew what I was capable of and how to get it done.  But that was when I had a coach and a team to run for.  These people more than gave me encouragement and friendship, they kept me honest and patient.  Before running on my own, I never realized the value of having someone tell me that "this is the last one" actually means that this is the last one unless I want to be super sore during my race.  Discovering these little roles my coaches have played in my running has given me insight on what it means to be invested in my athletes' training and how I have to be that much more careful when trying to coach myself.

Transitions are hard and as an athlete I'm not necessarily as patient as they come.  I have a lot of things to learn before I can compete on my own at the same level as I did with a team.  I am learning quickly though.  DOMS may get in the way of what I want to do today, but its a pretty good sign that I am making myself stronger for tomorrow.

So for now I'm chasing patience.