The West Highland Way Race
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| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 16) |
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Graeme Reid
Mar 20, 08 - 1:46 AM |
Hot Baths?
Up until now, after my long Sunday run I have been enjoying a soak in a hot bath afterwards to ease my aching muscles. I am aware of the reported benefits of iced baths and, like most people, have read tales of Paula Radcliffe having them daily - I'll tell you now; that will never be me! I recently read an article however that suggested that a hot bath can actually do you more harm than good after a long run. It didn't go on to explain why and so I am interested in whether anyone else knows about this and if so; what damage am I inflicting upon myself. I'm not sure I'll have the heart to break the news to my rubber duck though! |
Drama Queen
Mar 20th, 2008 - 1:58 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I have read one or two articles on this subject and, as always, they are conflicting. One says that hot baths are best, the other ice baths. In all honesty I have done both and didn't feel any significant difference except of course that the hot bath was nice and soathing and the ice bath was bloody awful. These days, I usually take a shower. Haven't read an article on what that is doing to me. Don't care either. |
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Murdo McEwan
Mar 20th, 2008 - 3:10 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I read somewhere that the English rugby team has cold baths after matches. (And I bet they were given a particularly cold one after their defeat by Scotland  ) It would be useful to know what the all-conquering Welsh rugby team do about hot/cold baths/showers. Maybe that's their well kept secret. After I have been for a run in driving sleet and snow the last thing I could handle would be a cold bath. I wonder if it is benefical to have an ice cold bath after a hot 'n sweaty run; and a hot bath after a freezing cold run? Maybe (seriously) that's the answer; but I don't know. What do other folk reckon?  Murdo
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Mike Mason
Mar 20th, 2008 - 5:10 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I assumed, based on my experience of coming across many WHW'ers en route in races, that it was a stipulation not to have bathed for sometime before the race! (That's for Murdo's cheap shot at our gallant Rugby buffoons).....  But seriously I have found a really cold bath after long training/races to be excellent - remember to keep socks and underpants on, water above thighs lying down.....and within about 30 seconds of squealing in an unmanly manner you can lie down with head propped on towel and read a good book - 15 to20 mins........lovely! DQ could even have some scented candles burning...or midge repellants.... |
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Graeme Reid
Mar 20th, 2008 - 6:01 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
The reference to possible damage done by a hot bath was made in the excellent book about the two chaps who ran the Coast to Coast route a few years back (their names excape me for the moment) but I suspect the effects of the bath were more important when trying to recover from a long run and get up the next morning for another 30 miles. He did seem to suggest however that his partners ultimate injuries were exacerbated (?) by the previous nights hot bath |
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Jon Cornall
Mar 20th, 2008 - 6:30 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I have a cold bath after my long training runs. It seems to help stop stiff muscles and I don't seem to cramp up as much either. I also find it an excellent way to become fluent in Japanese as I get in!! Jon C |
Brian Mc
 Mar 21st, 2008 - 3:05 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I think the reasoning behind cold baths is that they reduce inflammation, like rubbing an ice cube on an injury. Any run generates little muscle microtears (how my physio described them) and these inflame slightly. Ice cold apparently reduces the inflammation, disperses chemicals which accumulate as a consequence of muscle damage and thereby aids recuperation. Don't know how much robust evidence there is behind the claim. There is a possibility that warm baths might encourage inflammation and therefore impede recovery. But then again, warm baths are an awful lot more enjoyable! |
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Danny Kerr (TSART)
Mar 21st, 2008 - 3:49 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
I think the message above is on the right track. A hot bath may do two things I think, firstly it may increase any inflamation that may be occuring and secondly, it will cause peripheral vasodilation (dilation of the blood vessels on the surface of the skin), which will take blood away from the muscle tissue and divert it to the surface of the skin. The second point may actually contradict the first but then I've never made much sence As for cold baths, any man who wants to put his tackle through that kind of abuse needs a different kind of treatment/therapy. 
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RichieC
Mar 21st, 2008 - 4:26 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
Hi instead of a cold bath, after a long run, I sometimes try to have a dip in a nearby river or loch and keep myself submerged up to my waist for about 10 minutes. I've found that when racing on consecutive days it reduces the soreness quite considerably. The downside as well as freezing your shucks off, has varied from being given directions to the nearest mental institution by a weedgie family whilst standing in the river at Strathyre, to being verbally abused by drunk fishermen whilst sitting in Loch Lomond! 
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Dario Melaragni
Mar 21st, 2008 - 6:02 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
Ritchie enjoy your soak on sat night in river at blairgowrie if you can break the ice, and spare a thought for the other 14 poor buggers freezin in the night with many miles to go. good luck to all the idiots braving the cateran Trail race. i believe there is lots of snow to play in! |
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Tomo Thompson
Mar 21st, 2008 - 1:29 PM |
Re: Hot Baths?
There is a rugby centric article here http://www.icebaths.com/ice-bath_articles.htm#craig_white throughout the majority of the amateur and professional papers on this subject there is nothing more than anecdotal evidence. There is a growing buy-in to contrast bathing as well (alternating between baths of hot and cold immediately post event / match). There is no paper I can find that considers any of the environmental factors eg even if the rugby pitch is baltic cold, the players will be back in the warmth in 40 mins, i think any immersion of a Cateran Trail Race contestant, YAU runner, or North Pole Marathon runner in to post event cold water would have dire consequences. I shall ask the race Doc for his considered opinion. |
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Davie Bell
Mar 22nd, 2008 - 1:33 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
Ritchie Why else would you be sitting in a cold stream with my clubmate Tosh Brannan, I bet you were giving your ears an ice bath after that experience:-)pictured in My Race Jan/Feb Issue wasn,t that after Manor Water Hill Race,I have a wheelie bin in the Garage filled with cold water, I just jump in up to the waist after a run, I find it more bearable than subjecting my whole body to the cold water.I,m a woos I know:-) |
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Jody young
Mar 22nd, 2008 - 3:04 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
never mind cold baths etc, in the warmer weather i frequently head down to the beach and spend at least a few hours in the sea.Varying the depth from knee to neck and the occassional swim.Wasn't the hydrotheraputic remedies of the beach at Southport that made Red Rum a winner.A good few years ago now in the February prior to the WHW i picked up quite a severe calf muscle strain, a month of free treatment on Ayr beach certainly paid dividends. |
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Graeme Reid
Apr 4th, 2008 - 12:43 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
The Editors at Runners Worls must have been lookin at this forum coz my question regarding the damage done by hot baths has been asked in this months publication. Apparently, after a run, your muscles and joint become inflamed and a hot bath can increase the blood flow to these areas and so increase the inflammation. Also, after a run you are dehydrated and the hot bath can exacerbate this and leave you more dehydrated. So, it would appear thatthere is no alternative but to stock up the ice cube tray in the freezer, grit my teeth and take the plunge! |
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Tim
Apr 4th, 2008 - 12:51 AM |
Re: Hot Baths?
Had me worried for a bit there Graeme until I saw the source of your info.  Take more than a Runner's World article to convince me! |
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RichieC
Apr 4th, 2008 - 12:43 PM |
Re: Hot Baths?
Hi Davie That photo has got everywhere! its in the latest FRA publication now. Was taken after Tinto when I decided to try the cold water treatment because I was running another race the next day. It worked great too, I ran a blinder the next day. I definitely notice the difference if I don't get a dip after a long run. The bucket in the garage sounds like a good idea... in fact you've got me thinking...i've got a pond at the bottom of my garden...hmmm Anyway, back to the autographs
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