Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we are talking with Lucy Bartholomew about the strategies she uses to recover quickly after an Ultra before she resumes training for the next event.
Lucy Bartholomew went from running with her dad at 15 to finishing on the top of the podium at some biggest ultras around the globe, all while setting course records in the process.
Not surprisingly, her travel, training and race schedule keeps her pretty busy so it has taken almost a year of trying to get Lucy on the show, but with some luck we are able to have her here today to talk about her strategies and tactics on staying healthy, and recovering effectively while training for ultra-marathons.
I am sure most of you listening know who Lucy is, as Australia’s ultra-running prodigy.
Not surprisingly, her travel, training and race schedule keeps her pretty busy so it has taken almost a year of trying to get Lucy on the show, but with some luck we are able to have her here today to talk about her strategies and tactics on staying healthy while training for ultras.
I know she is actually taking off again tomorrow to train in the mountains, so we are truly blessed to get to sit down for this chat today.
Here are the questions I asked Lucy on then show. Click on the podcast player to listen to the entire episode!
Lucy Bartholomew Links:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lucy_bartholomew
Website: https://www.lucybartholomew.com
Email: lucy_bartholomew@outlook.com
Contact: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/contact
Facebook: https://facebook.com/lucybartholomew17
Get Lucy’s Gear here: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/MyGearLucy’s
Recipes: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/Cooking
Questions for Lucy Bartholomew from the show…
Dr. Segler:
As I said, I know you started out running with your dad as a teenager, but in no time, only a year in fact, you went and chopped more than 3 hours of your prior 100k time and suddenly realized you might have a knack for ultras.
So, before we get into some questions maybe you could just give us a little bit more detail about your running history and why you became so interested trail running and ultras.
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
Correct me if I am wrong but correct me if I am wrong but it seems like in the years you’ve been racing ultras, you have been relatively free of injury. And if I remember correctly from one of your previous interviews you did have a close call with a knee injury when you were at Squaw right before Western States 100.
I’m sure the last thing anyone needs before a race like Western States 100 is the psychological effects a potential injury that could get worse during one of the biggest most prestigious races on the planet.
What can you tell us about how you dealt with all of the potential anxiety that had the potential to derail your event?
Lucy Bartholomew
Dr. Segler:
A few months ago I was talking to some of my ultra friends about my hopes of getting to discuss recovery strategies with you and some of them said, “Oh..but, she’s young. She’s strong, she can get away with a lot.” But the fact is, no one can clock the times and distances you do without riding the fine line between training and overtraining. Obviously you know how to get the full benefits of your training sessions by effectively recovering.
What would recommend would different for runners in their 40’s or 50’s?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
About a year ago when I first contacted you about having you on the show to discuss your strategies to recover quickly after an ultra, I think you kinda half-jokingly said. “Gosh, I’ll have to think about what I do for recovery…normally I just eat and sleep haha!”
That actually brings up two great points…Sleep and Nutrition. We do not get stronger when we run. We do not get stronger when we train. We get stronger when we recover. I believe sleep is the most abundant and most underutilized recovery resource available to ultra runners.
Do you do anything special with sleep to recover faster when you’re in hard training mode?
Lucy Bartholomew
Dr. Segler:
Recovery isn’t really magical. It is just a process of rebuilding tissue, after you stimulate a healing process which begins as a consequence of tissue damage during a hard workout. It takes building blocks to rebuild that tissue damage. And that means sound nutrition.
We all know you’re a plant-based runner and a foodie. On your website you have a nutrition and cooking section that includes things like pre-run food, food for during the run, post run food bowls of goodness and other recipes. Obviously the divisions on your website suggest the things we have to eat after run to recover, are different from what we eat during a run to fuel us.
How did you develop your nutritional habits? Were you always on a plant-based diet? And how do you think your diet has changed in the last few years as a world class ultra runner?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
Question #5
I have heard lots of different athletes talk about their secret weapons to help them recover faster. Some people take naps, others get massages. Some have secret recipes. You joked about just eating and sleeping, but your website has a section called “My Top Tips” where you have three categories: “Stretching & Mobility,” “Yoga” and “Core Strength.”
Maybe you could share with our listeners how each of those three categories helps you recover faster, or maybe even decrease your risk of injury when training?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
After racing a lot of people just take time off. They take what seems a casual approach to recovery. They rest, or maybe do something less-structured like go on a “vacation.”
What do you do to recover in the first 24-48 hours after you finish a long trail run or race?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
You’ve done run lots of incredible big mountain races, most of which would be considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us “normal” ultra runners. I would imagine the catalog of experiences and images in your head from all those races has to be amazing and dizzying.
But I’m really curious to know, of all of the races you have done what has been most memorable…and why?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
It seems like just a few weeks ago you were posting some incredible images of your training sessions in the big mountains of Nepal. I would imagine that was one of your big training blocks leading up to Western States 100. But we all know that event, like others, was just canceled. Undoubtedly all of the race cancellations from 2020 have caused some chaos in your training and racing schedule. But not to be to deterred, you’re heading off to train in the mountains again tomorrow.
With that thought in mind, what is the race you’re currently focused on and how are you staying motivated through all of this uncertainty?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
It’s been a crazy year for you with all of the fires and now the travel disruptions. Although technically all of the Australian bushfires are out now, that was something you posted a lot about earlier this year. As I understand it over 1 billion animals actually died in this years Australian bush fire season.
I think a few months ago you suggested some ways people could help Australia recover from that disaster. If people listening right now still want to help and contribute how can they do that?
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
Okay I’m at a go go ahead and say that I think everybody should check out your website, and all of you listening right now should go follow Lucy on Instagram @Lucy_Bartholomew. We’ll have all the links in the show notes episode under the podcast section at DocOnTheRun.com.
One of the things I was hoping you would talk about just a little bit as some of your running training camps. I know that you periodically post about those on Instagram. Many people listening right now want to know how they can actually connect and work with you more directly. Tell us about how people can hear you speak, or maybe even train with you, and what people can expect when they sign up for one of your training camps.
Lucy Bartholomew:
Dr. Segler:
I’ve certainly learned a lot today and it’s really been great having you on the show!
Lucy, thanks so much for taking time out of your schedule to share all of your run happy attitude and strategies with our listeners today. And if anybody is trying to figure out how they can get some Team Lucy gear, follow you, connect with you, or reach out to you directly, how can they best connect with you?
Lucy Bartholomew Links::
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lucy_bartholomew
Website: https://www.lucybartholomew.com
Email: lucy_bartholomew@outlook.com
Contact: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/contact
Facebook: https://facebook.com/lucybartholomew17
Get Lucy’s Gear here: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/MyGearLucy’s
Recipes: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/Cooking
If you have a question that you would like answered as a future addition of the Doc On The Run Podcast, send it to me PodcastQuestion@docontherun.com. And then make sure you join me for the next edition of the Doc On The Run Podcast!
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