It’s that point when your body parts feel like lead. Each
step is labored, and your well trained legs seem to be fighting your every move
in the right direction. What madness is this? Could it be that dreaded running
demon known as lactic acid
that is not only causing my race day agony, but my post-race fatigue, too? What
role (if any) does it play in post-race blues?
Sometimes the only thing to do when you have pushed too far is to rest and let the lactic acid settle. |
Feel the [Acid] Burn
According to
WebMD, the ailment-diagnosing source for all of us non-board-certified desk jockeys,
the buildup of lactic acid stems from low oxygen levels during exertion, as the
body attempts to break down carbs for muscle fuel.
Lactic acid begins to build in the
body when glucose (sugar in the bloodstream) is broken down to it minimal form
during any hard workout, resulting in the need for the body to clear the
lactate from the bloodstream in order to maintain a high rate of exertion. As
many runners have noticed, there is a limit to what the body can handle.
The
affect of too much lactic acid is that oh so lovely burning sensation in the muscles that gives the
extremities the feeling of being lead-filled.
Often, the increase in lactic acid
forces the runner to stop in order to decrease the acid buildup, which,
according to the website BrianMac
Sports Coach, occurs quite rapidly during exercise—with removal typically happening
within one hour after exercise stops.
So what’s the cure? For the runner,
taking a few minutes at the aid station mid-race can curb the initial buildup
of lactic acid and prolong the physical output. The key word: “prolong”, which
means, unfortunately, lactic acid is with you every step of the way on race
day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t control its onset to an extent.
The Big Question:
Does lactic acid buildup during an event mean more soreness after?
The short answer: No. Based on all of my research about
post-race stresses on the body, my aches and pains are not to be attributed to
that race day weightiness brought to my limbs by lactic acid. One positive note
is that lactic acid levels, I have learned, can be beneficial if managed
properly.
By
pushing your body to high
anaerobic levels you can help to increase the amount of oxygen your body
can process during a given time period. By pushing your body’s anaerobic threshold
you can offset at least some of the short term affects caused by acid buildup.
The key is to push your exercise output above your standard, predetermined race
pace for a short amount of time—typically 2 to 4 minutes, according to Runner’s
World online. Follow this high-output with a “cool-down” running speed of 1
to 2 minute below race pace and boom! You have just helped nudge your lactic
threshold in the right direction. Now, just do that several time throughout
your run, several day per week, and you can simply avoid being burned by lactic
acid…at least for a while. There are several good lactic threshold training
plans available online through Runner’s World, so be sure to check them out
prior to your next race.
As
for the initial question: Why am I so
sore post-race? It would appear that lactic acid buildup, contrary to
common wisdom, does not carry over into my post-race blues. So, what does? In
upcoming posts I will dig deeper into what causes the hurt, and (hopefully)
figure out ways to avoid it!
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