Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the pain and stiffness felt in muscles about three days after a strenuous workout.

I wonder if anyone else out there suffers from this?  I have tried mixing up my workouts to add more swimming.  Also hitting my Rumble Roller foam roller more. 

Rumble Roller's GATOR

(No Live Animals Inside the box)

In celebration of National Foam Rolling Day, I wanted to share this with everyone. The best way to relax and recover is with a foam roller.  The Rumble Roller line of myofascial release products is the answer.  Recently Rumble Roller released their GATOR.   Its small “teeth” grip the skin for a very soothing cross-friction massage. The Rumble Roller Gator is a heavy duty deep tissue roller unlike your typical foam roller.  I use it to help in recovery after training or racing. It’s versatile in the areas of the body. I tend to use it mainly on my lower body targeting my hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and glutes.  After riding my glutes tend to tighten up and using the roller to help those muscles recover.  After a long run and on recovery days, rolling my calves.  Adding a little more pressure at times, I cross legs, at the calf, with only one of them on the roller to treat tight muscles.  There is a difference in the regular Rumble Roller and the GATOR and swap them from time to time.  A great way to release tight back and shoulders, I slowly and deliberately lay down on the roller, rolling on it from my neck down to my mid back.  Then switch up things and roll is still on my back, going sideways, from my left shoulder blade to my right shoulder blade.  If gravity or too much pressure is being applied, you can always roll it up way, like a cat on a post. 

Taking First Place in my division in a Sprint Triathlon

When it comes down to it, the last year has been a rebuilding of many sorts. First of all my knee. I can hear the doctor telling me clearly before going into surgery. He said he would get me back racing, out on the course. Almost a year later I was able to compete back at full strength. I was excited, as I took first place in my division, finishing about three minutes ahead of the person coming in second. The pool swim, in a heated pool went off as planned. A bunch of athletes ahead of me I had to navigate around. T1 was flawless and fast, with no socks to put on before jumping on the bike. The first of three, five mile loops I eased into a pace and saved a bunch of energy on the into the wind portions. I was able to get some great speed with the disc wheel being pushed along by a great tail wind on a few other portions of the loop. 
I guess I have been putting off "officially" entering a race with limited time for longer training. In the past three months I have been able to really get out and enjoy training that I could squeeze in. I was very excited to get out and race, even though it was just a sprint distance tri. Slept well the night before and felt strong and rested a few days leading up to the weekend.  I want to thank those who have supported me and kept me out training and working out. The foundation to a come back trail has just been put down!

 

Cat-Ears

Amrita Nutrition Bars

Orange Mud

RecoFit Compression Calf Sleeves 

Suunto

Frozen Peaz

Rumble Roller

Two Wheel Jones Bicycle Shop in Gilbert

Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream
Terra-Ride Lubricant by KAEPS Sports

The Town of Gilbert 9th Annual Seville Sports Club Mini & Maxi Sprint Triathlons & Duathlon 

300 YARD SWIM in 6:41

15.4 MILE BIKE in 46:51

2 MILE RUN in 19:55 (seriously, I so need to work on my running) 

with the total being 1:13:26

The RumbleRoller Beastie

Over the past year I have been using the RumbleRoller foam roller to get me back on the road after an IT band injury.  After using and seeing how it worked, I started using the RumbleRoller for self-myofascial release or SMR on different muscle groups and areas to increase my flexibility, relieve stiffness and decrease my recovery time from workouts and/or training sessions. 

I started using the RumbleRoller Beastie just recently and am benefiting from the numerous ways they can be used and set up. To begin with, you may ask what is a Beastie. The Beastie is like a spiked dog toy, yet made specially for SMR. It's a deep tissue massage ball. Some people have used tennis balls or golf balls to do similar types of SMR but what these items lack is flexible bumps that are needed to reach into tough areas. Beasties come in two varieties. The clear one, what is called the Original Beastie, has 30 bumps that will dig deep into your muscle tissue and target those trigger points or problem areas. The green one, called the X-Firm Beastie, has the same amount of bumps yet like its name says, is more firm. Caution needs to be used when starting any kind of session with any of these items. If used the wrong way or too aggressive they can cause bruising or lingering pain and you should stop.

The Beasties can be used freely or a base is also available.  The base holds the 

Beastie for more controlled use.  With the Beastie in the base, it now can be attached to the Beastie Wall System.  The ball can be adjusted to any height allowing now for you to now lean into the Beastie from the side depending on where on the body you are focusing on treating. 

As if the Beasties on their own were not good enough, there is also a Beastie Bar available. This is a rolling stick type of massage tool with two X-Firm Beasties permanently attached to the center of the bar. It comes with stands allowing for hands free use by setting on the ground or attaching to the Beastie Wall System.  With the bar attached to the wall you can now focus on areas of the back, legs or arms.       

                   RumbleRoller® and RR Beastie®

RumbleRoller to the Rescue

I'll start this post with a riddle. 

 What has 200 thumbs and should never be passed by?  You give up?

 Well its the RumbleRoller and it has seriously changed my recovery routine.  I'm a real believer in "the stick" as it too has helped in my warm-ups and recovery. After giving the RumbleRoller a spin I was able to dig deep into the muscle tissue into my nagging IT - Band with my body weight. I have been pain free from an injury from last winter.....finally.  I must say, my masseuse does not know I have been cheating on her.  And if she found out she wouldn't want to see me anymore.  All I can say is, Dang, she is going to miss me. I have found something much better than any massage therapist could do.  I have started using the RumbleRoller, and holy cow, it is AWESOME.  Sure, I still use "The Stick", but for treating my IT Band troubles, the RumbleRoller is just what the doctor ordered.  I have used it on my lower body (hamstrings, calves and quads). Working it on my upper and lower back feels great, although those with back issues may find it uncomfortable.  So what is the RumbleRoller? It a type of foam roller with little knobs, which act like thumbs of a massage therapist, but better.  The roller comes in two types of densities which is indicated by the color, blue or black.  It's also is made in two different sizes for those wanting to possibly use it to travel with.