Post-Run Recovery: How To Smash Your Goals
Updated: Jul 31
'Run hard, recover harder'- this is the biggest key to improve your performance.
So, you know from people who run fast that you need to train hard in order for you to improve. You see their Stravas of them putting in long miles, hard sessions and fast times, but what you do not see is the main thing which separates them from you- their recovery.
Post-run recovery can make the difference in the time it takes you to recover go from hours to days. So, the people who focus on their post-run recovery will be able to train more and be more fresh for their next sessions so this will help them get more training done and run faster. But what it also does is it allows them to get better adaptations from the runs which they are doing.
Imagine putting in all that work in a hard session and not focusing on your post-run recovery- your not getting all the benefits from training that you deserve.
Strategies you can implement to help with you post-run recovery to take your performance to the next level
1. Have something with a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein within 25 minutes of your workout
The 25 minute window after you finish a hard session is an important window for your recovery. Be sure to get the right things in here to speed up your post-run recovery and adaptations. Most people don't believe this but chocolate milk is nearly the perfect thing to have after a run as it has the perfect ratio of 3:1 carbohydrates to protein.
If you want to save money on buying all that chocolate milk and also get the best recovery drink available then try 'High5 Recovery drink', this is the best on the market.
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2. Prioritise your sleep
If sleep were a supplement it would be made illegal.
Sleep is a super power drug for recovery and if you can consistently be getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night then this is going to super-charge your post-run recovery and you will be smashing those PBs out of the park in no-time.
3. Go for an easy run the next day
When you feel less recovered you may be thinking of taking a day completely off running. However, going for a very easy jog and maybe even doing a couple strides will boost your recovery. Getting those aching muscles moving to loosen them up and getting all that fresh blood around them will boost your post-run recovery to get your ready for your next session.
4. Foam roll
Foam rolling is one of the best ways to get aching muscles recovered after a hard run. Foam rolling has many benefits to your post run recovery (1):
Much reduced pain after exercise
Improved blood circulation
Release muscle tightness
Improves athletic performance
Breaks down knots in muscles
Helps to prevent injury
Maximised effectiveness of stretching
Alleviates delayed onset muscle soreness
Enhances delivery of nutrients to tissues, thus aiding recovery
All of these things combined make foam rolling a vital part of your post run recovery. Want to learn more about foam rollers and which one may be best for your? Click here: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/benefits-of-foam-rolling-and-how-to-pick-the-best-one-for-you
Or if you are like me and prefer massage sticks then click here: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/why-i-prefer-a-massage-stick-to-a-foam-roller
Or here is a comparison of massage guns: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/best-deep-tissue-massage-gun-for-different-price-ranges
5. Warm down after your run
Warming down after a good session is vital to get the lactate acid out of your aching muscles. If you have ever pushed a session too hard and not bothered warming down you will definitely know the truth about the benefits of taking a proper warm down after a session. The reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from warm downs (2) will be vital for your post-run recovery.
6. Focus on your nutrition
Replenishing carbohydrate stores is vital to make sure that you are able to the best of your ability post-run and protein is really important for your muscles to be able to recover. Focusing on having high quality carbohydrates and protein in your diet is a simple way to help you get the most out of your recovery.
There are plenty of other supplements for running which can help you take your performance to the next level and I wrote a blog details the top 6 supplements for runners. You can read it here: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/top-6-supplements-for-running
7. Stay hydrated
Making sure you are drinking enough water is crucial for proper post-run recovery. Water helps to flush out toxins and get nutrients to your muscles to help get them what they need to recover. Also, water helps to regulate body temperature and get your blood pH levels back to where they should be after a hard run (3).
8. Utilise compression gear
Compression gear helps to get blood circulating around your muscles to help them to recover better but compression gear also helps to reduce swelling. Wearing compression gear during and after runs (especially calf sleeves) is the most underrated way to improve your post-run recovery.
Our top pick for compression gear: Bear hug
Bear hug is by far the best compression brand, with tighter compression guaranteeing better recovery. This is by far the most sturdy compression gear on the market.
Click here to browse through their options: https://tidd.ly/4eWjoIX
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