The Overlooked Side of Recovery: Nutrition, Stress & Nervous System Regulation - Episode 4

In this final episode of our recovery series, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked — yet absolutely essential — parts of recovery: your nervous system.

So often, runners think recovery is just about foam rolling, stretching, and getting enough sleep. But real recovery goes deeper. It’s about helping your body and mind shift out of “go mode” and into a state where true repair can happen.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:
🧠 Your nervous system’s role in recovery – How your body’s “fight or flight” and “rest and repair” modes affect how well you bounce back from training.
🍎 The nutrition connection – Why fueling with enough protein and carbohydrates isn’t just about energy — it’s about giving your body what it needs to rebuild stronger.
😩 The stress factor – How life stress impacts your running recovery (and why you can’t separate the two).
💨 Tools to calm your system – Simple, actionable techniques like intentional breathing, gentle movement, and mindfulness to help you tap into your parasympathetic system and recover more efficiently.
💤 Recovery as a lifestyle – How nutrition, stress management, and quality sleep work together to support your performance, prevent burnout, and keep you running strong for years to come.

Recovery isn’t just what you do after your run — it’s how you live in between the miles.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to work with your nervous system, not against it, so you can train smarter, recover faster, and run stronger — for the long run.

01:40 The Role of the Nervous System in Recovery

03:12 Nutrition: The Foundation of Recovery

08:29 The Importance of Protein and Carbohydrates

10:29 Understanding Low Energy Availability

18:02 Stress Management for Optimal Recovery

25:46 Breathing Techniques for Recovery

28:59 The Critical Role of Sleep

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