About the author: Bert Flier
For this article, Amacx asked Bert Flier to share his experience in triathlon. Bert is a former (semi)professional triathlete and has been active in endurance sports for more than thirty years.
He became Dutch champion at the full-distance triathlon of Almere in 2001 and 2002 and has a personal best of 8:28 on the Ironman distance. Today he coaches triathletes of all levels. You can learn about him in his author page.
Recovery: the part of training many athletes overlook
After the finish I felt so exhausted that I genuinely wondered whether a heart could simply stop beating from fatigue. In the medical tent they put me on a bed and hooked an IV into my right arm. As glucose and electrolytes slowly entered my bloodstream, I felt my strength gradually returning.
My appetite was fully intact. With my free left hand I grabbed pizza. And wine gums. And cola. And chocolate. My body wanted fuel — a lot of it, and fast.
After the IV and the feast, I fell into a deep sleep. Ninety minutes later I walked out of the tent feeling like a new person.
The lesson from Lanzarote applies to your training as well. Training puts your body out of balance. Getting better happens during recovery afterwards. That’s where your body adapts. That’s where you become stronger and faster.
Especially as a triathlete, sometimes training twice a day, recovery isn’t optional. It determines whether your next session will be effective and whether you continue improving.
Good recovery starts before your workout
Ideally you start most sessions with well-filled glycogen stores. During quality workouts and longer Ironman sessions you simply need carbohydrates to maintain intensity, especially in the second half where holding your pace really matters.
That means eating and drinking from the start during longer or harder sessions. Don’t wait until you feel hungry. Think ahead. This keeps your energy supply stable, limits muscle damage and helps you recover faster.
Hydration is just as important. In warm conditions you don’t just lose fluids but also minerals that are essential for muscle function and recovery. The less depleted you finish your workout, the faster you’ll recover.
The first 30 minutes: your golden recovery window
That IV I received in Lanzarote obviously isn’t an option at home. Fortunately, it’s not necessary either.
Your body is most receptive to recovery in the first 30 minutes after training.
Your glycogen stores refill faster and protein is used more efficiently to repair muscle damage. Waiting simply slows that process down.
My three golden recovery rules are:
- Start eating (solid and/or liquid) within 30 minutes after your workout
- Combine carbohydrates and protein
- Keep drinking until your fluid balance is restored
A simple way to estimate fluid loss is to weigh yourself before and after training. Then drink roughly 1.5 times the weight you lost.
Especially on days with multiple sessions, your next workout depends heavily on how well you recovered from the previous one.
Practical recovery: make it easy on yourself
After hard or hot sessions I usually don’t feel like eating solid food. Instead I make my favourite recovery shake: frozen banana, chocolate milk, almond milk, protein powder and a pinch of salt. Blend it and you’re done.
It’s cold, easy to drink and contains exactly what you need: carbohydrates, protein, fluids and minerals. The cold temperature also helps your body cool down faster.
On days when you’re short on time, a ready-to-drink recovery shake can of course be a practical solution.
Recovery is what makes your training effective
After Ironman Lanzarote my body needed some help in the medical tent. That was an extreme situation and not something you want to rely on as a triathlete.
For you, the real gains come from the daily basics: eating enough and on time, drinking properly and replenishing your minerals. That’s how you take recovery seriously and give your body what it needs to adapt.
Because that’s ultimately what happens. During training you break your body down: muscles are damaged, energy stores are depleted and your fluid balance shifts. Only in the hours afterwards, when you replace what you’ve used, does the real rebuilding begin.
Your muscles repair and become slightly stronger. Your energy systems become more efficient. Your ability to handle training load increases.
Recovery isn’t a side note. It’s the moment where training actually does its job.
Follow the basic principles in this blog and you won’t need an IV to recover well. You can manage it yourself.
Your training doesn’t end at the finish line.
That’s where getting better begins.
Amacx tip: Recovery after your workout
In this article triathlon coach Bert Flier shared his tips for proper recovery. Want to keep things simple? With the Amacx Recovery Shake or Amacx Recovery Bar you give your body the carbohydrates and protein it needs to start recovering immediately after your workout.
