A long run and a bath

Today was long run day.  Overnight there was ice.  Luckily the ice stuck to the trees and grass and the roads were in good shape.   In the morning when I got up I checked the weather and announced I was going to run in the afternoon.  Jim was going to go.  Later in the morning he talked about the run.  Then when it was time to get dressed to run he decided his stomach hurt and he didn't want to go.  (It could have had something to do with a football game on TV.)  I called Kathy, my Slug Sister, (who owns more running shoes than I do) and she met me for the run.  Kathy had done a long run a few days ago but since she is the queen of distance she joined me for  the run.  I don't mind running alone but the long runs go so much faster when you have someone to talk to.  We ran 4 minutes and walked 1 minute for 11.03 miles.  This took 1 hour and 57 minutes.  We had two bathroom stops and one stop to re-tie shoes.  The ice on the trees and bushes was very pretty.  I'm glad we got the run in today because tomorrow is supposed to another day of freezing rain.

There are bath people and there are shower people.  I am definitely a shower person.  We have lived in our currently house four and a half years and I have probably taken 2 baths.  We have a large tub that goes unused.  Today was bath number three.  After a long run in the winter a warm bath sounded comforting.  I filled up the tub and got a couple magazines.  I was soaking contently when a thought popped into my  head, "Holy crap, you aren't supposed to take a hot bath after running, you are supposed to take an ice bath."  Then I laid in my warm bath and thought about what the bath was doing to my muscles that just run 11 miles.  Of course when I got out I had to google hot bath vs. cold bath.

Here is what I learned:

"The therapeutic benefits of hot water bathing have long been recognised – anyone with aching bones and muscles who has bathed at a Roman spa will testify to this."

"After a long run, race, or any tough workout, your joints and muscles are inflamed. If you put heat on them, the blood flow to those areas will increase, which can make them even more inflamed."

"Hot water baths are also known to relieve stress and fatigue and also help relax sore muscles. It has also been shown to improve the flexibility of muscles giving you a supple body."

"An ice bath will help reduce inflammation of tissues and joints, relieve soreness, and speed up your recovery. ."

I came to the conclusion that both hot and cold have their benefits.  I will post tomorrow how the hot bath worked out for me.  Just in case I used the foam roller on my legs.

For the record - I took an ice bath one time several years ago and it was awful.  I sipped on a mug of hot chocolate and wore a hat while shivering violently.  I think I lasted 23 seconds.  The ice bath thing is not for me.