Restoration in Long Distance Running – Part 4: Overtraining, and Psychological Recovery

Lowering training loads and carrying out meaningful restorative measures are required. When signs of overtraining appear, all possible measures for the fastest restoration should be taken in a 3 - 7 day period.

Firstly, a full rest for 2 - 3 days, or changing workouts to lighter loads sucgofranklinisationsg, and easy walking. Natural sleep (but not sleeping tafranklinisationnklinisations of insomnia and headaches the following are very good: franklinisation (a physiotherapy technique using electric current), carbonated baths, and general light massages. Acupuncture has also been used effectively.

There is a whole gamut of pharmacological preparations which can be used, but I feel you should seek medical advice first before taking them. So I am not listing them here, only mentioning that vitamin supplements are helpful, especially if they contain the B group.

Exercise

Fill in the table below using the information contained in the paragraphs above.

Psychological Restoration

Psychology is a wide ranging field of knowledge about which the literature is so voluminous one hardly knows where to start. I have touched upon psychology before in an article on the psychology of injury. But the emphasis her is different. The athlete, be he or she highly professional Olympic athlete on the one hand, or an occasional jogger on the other, needs psychological stability. Therefore, after training and racing, every runner needs psychological restoration.

For the restoration of athletes, modern psychology recommends the development of self-regulatory skills. This means keeping your mind and emotions balanced and in good working order even in the most stressful and unfavourable of conditions. You regulate yourself and keep yourself on your uppers and positive.

You can book yourself in for lessons of psycho-regulatory training (PRT) with a psychologist and pay for them in order to maintain psycho-emotional stability and steadiness in various situations. Mastering PRT means you reactions to difficulties and hurdles are calmer. Moreover, it allows a runner to restore a normal psycho-emotional state more easily after deviation. Deviations occur in:

1. preparing for competition

2. pre-race nerves

3. objectively evaluating strengths and weaknesses while running the distance

4. after unsuccessful and disappointing results in races - the athlete needs to recover successfully

Using PRT together with the other restorative measures means the runner can achieve their full potential and achieve satisfying results. Psychologists recommend psycho-regulatory training (PRT), and the two books mentioned above are also recommended reading in order for you to keep your thoughts and feelings under control and

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