TriVeggies

As I type this, my quad muscles are aching. A busy spring season of racing, leading up to two half-marathons, will do that, and despite last week’s postrace recovery schedule, I’m still feeling a bit beaten-up. I suppose – though I hate to admit it – age may be playing a role, too. And taking a toll, while we’re at it.

I adore my foam roller and make good use of it. But several years ago, I used a work bonus on a fitness splurge – some Normatec recovery boots from Hyperice – and upped my fitness game in the process. Several triathletes and runners I know have used them for years and loved the, so when this surprise money appeared in my bank account, I knew it was time for me to jump into the action as well – with both feet, naturally.

Once the boots arrived in the mail, I began the laborious process of wedging my legs into them and zipping them up, only to realize the power unit was halfway across the room, which necessitated my removing the boots, grabbing the power unit, and beginning again. But once I got everything sorted up and sat up on the sofa, legs outstretched, the fun began. I went to the Hyperice app, selected the “Post Workout Recovery” routine (which is now one of my favorites), and let the sleeves do the work.

And work they did – soon they began to compress my feet and legs in various pressures and rhythms, working their way through my muscles over the course of 40 minutes. I wouldn’t call this a relaxing massage, but it’s certainly effective and not at all painful. (If you do find it painful, you can reduce the pressure via the app!)

I’ve found that when I keep up with my compression recovery several times a week – especially the evening after very intense workouts – I feel better and bounce back faster than I used to. Plus, the hour or so I get in the boots forces me to relax and not spin around the house like a top, trying to do everything for everybody all the time … which is, frankly, just as good for my mental recovery as the sleeves are for my physical recovery!

I wish I had a discount code to pop up here; sadly, I’m not that important. 😉 But I DO encourage you to give them a try if you’re interested in healing up faster! They’ve done a great deal for me.