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Recovery is key when running and one of the most overlooked parts to moving your body. It is so important to add recovery practices into your routine so that you are able to workout to your fullest potential. These are the top five simple recovery tips for runners that don’t require a lot of effort, but will make all of the difference in the long-run!
5 Important Recovery Tips for Runners
1. Stretching
This is the most obvious recovery tip. You should be doing static stretches after you run to help re-lengthen your muscles. This really is thee rule after any type of workout. It’s important to spend at least 10 minutes after a run to stretch and spend some extra time on days that you feel sore and aren’t working out!
2. Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is often overlooked. Sure that foam roller looks nice sitting in the corner, but if you don’t know what do with it to help your muscles recover from their workout, it’s not doing you any good. The key to recovery with foam rolling is small rolls in a targeted area. Be sure to do this by stopping on the knot and spend time flushing through to help loosen them up. This is a great recovery tool to help you hit the big areas that get used and abused while running!
3. Nutrition and Hydration
This is one of my absolute favorite areas to talk about because Nutrition and hydrations are SO IMPORTANT to aid in muscle recovery. Be sure to have something with complex carbs and protein as a meal after your run. For hydration, it is crucial to start drinking water and re-hydrating the body within 15 minutes of finishing your run. Anything with electrolytes will help your body start replenishing right away. My favorite electrolytes are called Amped Hydrate. They have 10 calories and no sugar and pick me up right away.
One other key item under the nutrition umbrella is a post-workout drink. After a run or a hard workout, I ALWAYS have Amped Repair within a half hour of finishing a run. It has tarte cherry and turmeric in it to help aid in faster muscle recovery. And its so delicious that is tastes just that Tang!
4. Sleep
Did you know that our bodies work so hard to heal themselves while we sleep. Not only is sleep important, but uninterrupted, good quality sleep is equally as crucial. That’s why it’s so important to stop scrolling, working, or watching Netflix in bed. All of that screen time before bed makes for a restless night.
5. Recovery Days
While some people believe in working out every day, I do not. Truthfully, from my 28 different workouts challenge, I learned that my body is so not down to workout out every single day. I was EXHAUSTED from that challenge. It is so so so important to take at least one day off and let your body relax and recover. I always do a foam rolling class on Friday mornings and take the rest of the day off. Sundays are my other “I may workout or may take it easy day”. I still go for walks on these recovery days, but no cardio or strength training for me. Listen to your body and give it rest when it needs a break.
Tell me some of your favorite recovery tips for runners! As always, be sure to check out these 30 other running tips for a successful run! And of course, don’t forget to stretch before and after you run! I’m over 16 miles down, (at least) 14 more to go!
xoxo
Krysta
