I just finished my first 10k and trying to understand how my body handled it

https://preview.redd.it/oix9i1iwvjue1.jpg?width=576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ec09e4c0979b6a5587c0d587b0a22592ee05057 It was freestyle for 4 hours. I took breaks each 2.5 km (1 hour) to go to the bathroom and eat for 5-7 mins. I self made energy drink for me from electrolytes, bananas, honey: approx 1L and 1k kkal. It wasn't too exhausting, actually. I divided 10k into 4 segments of 2.5 km: 1km just swimming, 500m pull buoy, 500m paddles, 500m fins. The first three were like that and the last one just swimming. It maybe shaved off some 10-15 mins total, but I mostly did it not to get bored, so it's not "clean" distance, but just training - I do long swims each two weeks and it's a way to make it more bearable. I made 6 km month ago, and it was much more exhausting and demanding: after it I had no appetite and felt pretty broken, slept badly. Two weeks later were 8 km which felt a bit better, but still I had a headache and not much appetite and bad sleep afterwards. 10 km was not so bad, I had appetite right away, did some yoga afterwards, but sleep still was just terrible - barely 5 hours and after it I just couldn't. Next day wasn't fun either. I feel like my body didn't understand wtf just happened. Is there any proved way to wind down and come back to normal after such loads? submitted by /u/Affectionate-Mail612 [link] [comments]