London Marathon Recovery and HRV

Introduction

• Ran the London marathon.
• Focus on recovery and monitoring HRV (Heart Rate Variability).
• HRV is a key indicator of body stress and recovery status.

What is HRV?

• HRV measures the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats.
• Reflects the balance of the autonomic nervous system:
  • Parasympathetic (Rest and Digest): Decreases heart rate.
  • Sympathetic (Fight or Flight): Increases heart rate.
• Balanced HRV indicates effective response to body’s needs.

Personal HRV Monitoring

• Check HRV daily leading up to the marathon.
• Pre-marathon HRV around 94-95, indicating balanced and ready state.
• HRV can shift due to stress factors like poor sleep, jet lag, and pre-race anxiety.

Post-Marathon HRV Observation

• Day of marathon: HRV was 93.
• Post-marathon: HRV dropped to 88, indicating increased body stress.
• 2 Days Post-Marathon: HRV began to rise slightly, feeling well-rested.
• HRV fluctuated post-race, influenced by recovery activities and overall rest.

Best Practices for Maintaining/Improving HRV

• Allow Recovery Time: Avoid doing hard training sessions back-to-back.
• Stay Hydrated: Improves circulation and oxygen delivery to muscles.
• Maintain Routine: Regular sleep, nutritious diet, and consistent circadian rhythm.
• Monitor Trends: Decrease in HRV can signal overtraining or illness.
• HRV also feeds into other Garmin stats like training readiness and status.

Conclusion

• HRV is a valuable metric for understanding how your body is coping with stress and recovery.
• Useful for guiding training decisions and avoiding overtraining.
• Encourages monitoring HRV pre- and post-race for better recovery insights.