The Most Important Fuel For Runners: Sleep

One major stereotype about college students is that they do not get enough sleep. Being a college athlete, that proves to be especially true. My cross country practice is every morning at 6:00 a.m. which means my alarm wakes me up at 5:40 sharp. Going straight from practice to class or work leaves little time for naps or even just a moment to relax. Getting up and running so early every morning, I have to ensure that I'm always getting a good amount of sleep. An article from Competitor.com states, "As an athlete, getting enough sleep is as important as your food and exercise choices." 

At least five times a week I'm waking up before the crack of dawn, so I have to make sure I'm getting to bed early. Every night of sleep is recharging your body, and it's important as an athlete and a student. I have to make sure I'm well rested so my body performs its best at practice and my mind stays focused during class. If I do have time during the day, I'll try to squeeze in a power nap to keep my body going and ensure I don't get too sluggish. 

While many college students choose to stay up late studying or go out on weekends, I find myself in bed by 10:30 every night. I may miss a party now and then, but it's worth it when I wake up well-rested and ready to go. 

Bouncing Back From Injury

Nearly every runner of any ability level has experience the dreaded 'i' word: injury. Whether you're a newbie runner with some shin splints or a collegiate athlete with a stress fracture, being hurt is still a huge bummer. I myself am no stranger to being hurt, and have fought my way through many injuries. College was when I really became injury prone, and I think it was a combination of a few things, but the biggest one being that I've been running at a high intensity for a LONG time now. My body has been taking a beating essentially for eight years, so I realized just how important it is to constantly be taking care of your body and always listening to it. When that dreaded day comes and you are sidelined from running for a bit, here's some advice I have.

• Do rehab, physical therapy, or RICE - To fix the problem, you have to get to the root of it. This means treating the injury directly and putting all of your focus into getting healthy. If you see a physical therapist for the injury, they will give you some exercises to not only heal but also get stronger so it doesn't happen again! If it's something pretty common like shin splints, follow the advice of RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevation. 
• Cross train - There's a good chance you'll be taking some time off of running, and to prevent yourself from completely losing your fitness it's important to cross train! Whether it's swimming, biking, aqua jogging, or others, find something that won't worsen your injury and stick to it. 
• Take care of your body - Often times, an injury happens when your body is vulnerable or you're not properly taking care of it. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, stretch and foam roll, drink plenty of water, and try to eat a balanced diet. Most of all, do not ignore little aches and pains, those are usually what turn into a bigger problem! 

There's nothing I hate more than having to stand on the sidelines and watch my teammates instead of being there next to them. I know if I want to minimize my time off while injured, I have to do everything mentioned above. Injury may be inevitable, but it does not have to be indefinite. 

Hello, I'm Kay!

Hello, Internet! As you can tell by my blog name, I'm Kay. As you can or can not tell by my blog name, I'm a collegiate runner. I'm currently a senior at the University of Tampa where I run cross country and track. I started running seriously when I was 14 years old and never looked back. I plan on using this blog to talk about the fun (and stress) filled life that being a college runner entails. 

To give everyone a better idea of who I am, here's some fun facts about me, both running and non running!

• I'm a communication major with a minor in sport management
• I race any distance from 400m to 6k, although I prefer the 1500m
• My pre-race meal is always two chocolate rice cakes with peanut butter
• I came to UT for the weather and cross country/track
• I also enjoy hiking, hammocking and watching Netflix 

Generally I hate every picture ever taken of me mid-race, but I will share this one because it's one of my few favorites. 

It's from this past April when I ran the 1500m at the University of Florida. Bonus fact: I forgot my uniform and had to wear my roommate's after she ran the 3000m in 100 degree heat. It made for a funny story later.