I did IMAZ on April 9th and I feel that ever since the race I have been extremely tired. I have been sleeping anywhere from 10 -11 hours a night, not doing many workouts and still feel exhausted. Is this normal after an ironman? If so, how long does it last. Am I sleeping too much?
Of course you’re tired My Friend. You did a very difficult race after a prolonged period of substantial physical stress.
It’s time to rest. The sleep is likely helping but I recommend some very heavy pro-active recovery such as massage, light exercise such as walking and hiking while maintaining adequate nutritional and hydration levels and a good eye on your eating habits.
Massage is key. It may have a very regenerative effect on you. Don’t worry about the cost, it is money well spent. During periods of substantial training and racing I often get two massages a week and one may be 1.5-2 hours long.
Be as proactive with your recovery routine as you were with your preparation. Also, don’t forget to give yourself credit for a job well done.
Thanks for your advice…I guess I just assumed that since it has been nearly a month that I should have recovered. I have a gift certificate for a massage so I suppose now is a good time to use it.
I’m really looking forward to doing my first one next year but I’m not looking forward to the recovery…
How on earth do you guys keep doing one after the other I’ll never know…
No…that is not normal. Go seek professional advise and get a physical…
I think it’s very likely to be normal. I’ve done 3 IM so far and my recovery time ranged anywhere from two weeks to two months. I sometimes think that recovery is also determined by my mental state. I allowed myself only two weeks after IM LP, and felt pretty good at that time. I just had qualified for IMH and thought I had to be in full swing soon after. I ended up injured later that summer.
I also did IM AZ and 4 weeks later I still feel tired too. I’m back on the bike a lot, running and swimming is at a minimum. I also eat way more than I should.
Tom is right. Especially if you trained through the winter for this event, your body and mind are just broken down. Give it some time, your body will tell you what it needs. In my case it’s food and biking outside (after all these trainer rides).
Stefan
I agree with “normal.” It’s taken me as long as six weeks before I felt “right” after an Ironman. As the others have alluded to, you put yourself weeks (months) of physical and mental stress, culminating in one asskicker of a day. You pushed yourself to the edge, so take a break and give your body and mind what they’re asking for.
Congrats on your finish!
I honestly had a 4 month effect from IM Wisc. I wasn’t tired or lethargic, I felt like a million bucks. I was able to eat like I was in my twentys all winter. Then out of the blue it all ended. I gained 8lbs in February and have had to struggle to keep my weight down, despite riding more miles than when I was training for the IM. I weighed myself religiously all winter and stopped cause I wouldn’t go above 150, then the mirror looked funny. I had flab all around my flabby parts again, sure it came on slow but most was in 1 month. Just last week I was back to 149 consistently, only took two months. Damb 41, basil metabolism is meaningless.