I have been an active person for much of my life. Honesty or modesty (or both) keeps me from calling myself an “athlete,” but I am active enough to know the discomfort of muscle pain after a particularly challenging workout. I have recently taken up trail running, which has challenged my strength and stabilizing muscles in surprising new ways. Lucky for me, I also happen to be one of the owners of MOSS, which put this question into my head… could Cannabis be helpful in training? The short answer is yes. For me, Cannabis has not only been helpful, it has become an integral piece of both my training and recovery.
I will anecdotally tell you that taking 25-30mg of CBD with just a hint of THC (1-2mg) after a strenuous trail run has significantly reduced the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) that I experience over the next few days. But that’s not just hearsay, the 2015 Sports Medicine study “Cannabis and Exercise Science” shows there is a growing body of evidence that CBD-rich strains can be used to help counter DOMS. Cannabis has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which can indeed aid in the recovery of intense workouts.
SO, if you’re curious about Cannabis and how it might integrate into your fitness routine, I’m here to share specifically what works for me (though what works for you might take some experimentation). BEFORE an intense training session (for me, this is my long trail runs on the weekends) I will take a 1:1 (THC:CBD) edible. My favorite is from Retreats Gummies, which has 5mg THC & 5mg CBD. There is some science behind cannabinoid receptors being partially, if not entirely, responsible for the “runner’s high.” I find that it helps me push through when I begin to drag a little.
AFTER a training session or a race, I reach for the Retreats CBD gummies (I know, I know, variety is the spice of life, but I just love Retreats SO MUCH). Each of these gummies contains 10mg CBD and 0.5mg THC, so I take 2-3 depending on how intense the uphills were. I will also slather some Cannabis-infused topical on my leg muscles. I use a homemade family recipe, but there are some great topicals on the market. Physic is my personal fave, with Peak not far behind (stop by MOSS on Sept. 21st from 3-6 pm to learn more at our Peak Extracts pop-up!). Topicals also work miracles on bruises, which I discovered after taking my first big spill at the Snowbowl 15K in Montana last month.
I hope this will inspire you to see how Cannabis can integrate into your fitness routine. Hope to see you in the gym or on the trails!
