I’m new to triathlons, but I’m not new to essential oils. It was natural, otherwise known as inevitable, that I’d integrate essential oils into my training routine. Honestly, ANYTHING to make it easier.
This is what I’ve been using. I can recommend this for everyone from the newby novice {me!} to the seasoned pro. Really, even for the pros, essential oils are a great addition to your training routine.
Before my runs, I put 2 drops of Breathe essential oil on my chest. Breathe is a respiratory support essential oil blend that opens your airways so you can breathe easier. Research into its effectiveness presented at doTERRA’s 2018 Convention showed athletes had a longer time to max effort, and improved run times when using Breathe. I like that! I can use anything that improves my run time. Wings. Anyone have wings? Or motorized shoes.
The bike. Oh, the bike. I’m currently using a mountain bike to race. Yes, I can hear the giggles from here. My husband and I have completed 2 races and REAL road bikes are on our wish list, but with a family reunion this Summer in Illinois {we live in Cali} and 5 airline tickets to buy, plus a planned vacay to ski/snowboard in Brianhead this Winter, the road bikes are a mere fantasy at this point.
I digress. We all know the feeling of chaffed skin- legs, butt…and nether regions. Yes, that’s what the lube is for, but sometimes when you forget to put it on before a run or ride, you end up with chaffing. Lavender, copaiba and melaleuca essential oils are my favorite combo for this. 1 drop of each with about 1 tsp coconut oil {or more for large areas} helps to support speedy healing of the area, and less discomfort. Copaiba is the new kid on the block at doTERRA. This handy essential oil is a cousin to CBD. It’s distilled from the copaiba tree, and attaches to the CB2 receptors in your body- the same ones CBD oil attaches to. Copaiba, however, doesn’t need to be metabolized to attach to the receptors. It attaches directly. The CB2 receptors are in charge of normal inflammation and normal pain sensations. They are also in charge of normal cellular health and renewal. Copaiba supports these cellular activities without the “high” you get when the CB1 receptors are stimulated. And all of this helps you get back to riding your bike faster. Cause no one wants to ride when you’re chaffed.
Swimming. My nemesis. It’s my least favorite for so many reasons. It’s cold and I abhor being cold. I’m not super stellar at it. And, I only know how to breathe one direction and I kinked my neck and now have ringing in my left ear always. Yes, I’m serious. I pinched a nerve swimming, and now have tinnitus. Back to oils. I don’t use any essential oils while I swim. However, once I get out of the pool, DeepBlue and AromaTouch are my best friends. DeepBlue is an essential oil blend that heats up and then cools down like IcyHot or BioFreeze. Except, it’s waaayyyy better. Like 1000% better. It comes in the regular essential oil version, and also a cream version, AND capsules that help with occasional muscle and joint pain. Like from triathlon training.
I rub DeepBlue everywhere that’s sore from swimming {and running and biking, but its the swimming that gets me}. I also take a couple capsules if it was a hard session. I use them instead of ibuprofen for occasional muscle soreness. I also use AromaTouch. This is another essential oil blend. This one is called the “massage blend”. I use this after workouts even when I don’t have significant muscle discomfort. I use it to help my muscles and joints recover faster. It contains marjoram, which has been shown in studies to aide in lessening muscle discomfort. It smells like a spa and is ahh-mazing! I use 2 drops mixed with a little coconut oil on my quads and calves and arms. Sometimes if I’m lucky I can get my hubby to give me a massage with it.
I’d love to hear from you what you use to help with your training! Leave a comment below for me. And, I hope to see you out on the course sometime soon!
Holistic Living RN 