Jul 134 min read

Post-Run Recovery: 8 Recovery Methods Every Runner Needs

Updated: 3 days ago

Post-run recovery

So, you know that you need to train hard for you to improve. You see the hard sessions that good runners are doing. You see their Strava, and they are putting in long miles, hard sessions, and fast times, but what you do not see is the main thing that separates them from you - their post-run recovery.

Post-run recovery can make a difference in the time it takes to recover, sometimes the difference between hours and days. So, people who focus on their post-run recovery will be able to train more and be more fresh for their next sessions, which 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 that they are doing.

Imagine putting in all that work in a hard session and not focusing on your post-run recovery- you're not getting all the benefits from training that you deserve.

8 tips to improve your post-run recovery

'Run hard, recover harder'- this is the biggest key to improving your performance.

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.

Post-run recovery drink:

High5 Recovery (80p per serving)

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2. Prioritise your sleep

"If sleep were a supplement, it would be made illegal."

Sleep is a superpower drug for recovery and if you can consistently get 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.

Check out this blog from 'Asics Run Keeper': How Sleep Can Make You A Better Runner.

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 of 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 you ready for your next session.

Read: What Is A Recovery Run and How To Know When To Do One?

4. Foam roll

Foam rolling is one of the best ways to get aching muscles recovered after a hard run. It can seem like a lot of effort however it is very worth it. You don't just have to use a foam roller, you could use a massage stick or a massage gun.

Worth a read from 'Everyone Active': 10 Reasons Why You Need To Use Your Foam Roller.

Foam rolling has many benefits to your post-run recovery:

Much reduced pain after exercise
Improved blood circulation
Release muscle tightness
Improves athletic performance
Breaks down knots in muscles
Helps to prevent injury
Maximise the effectiveness of stretching
Alleviates delayed onset muscle soreness
Enhances delivery of nutrients to tissues, thus aiding recovery

Read: Stay Injury Free This Year With The Best Value Foam Rollers

Or if you prefer a massage stick:

Supportiback

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Read: Massage Stick Benefits: Why I No Longer Use My Foam Roller

Or why not try out a new massage gun?

Best massage gun:

The Theragun

Check Price On Amazon

Also great:

The Renpho

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On a budget:

The Valano

Check Price On Amazon

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 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.

Check out this blog from 'Penn Medicine': Injury Prevention: How To Cool-Down After A Run.

6. Focus on your nutrition

Replenishing carbohydrate stores is vital to make sure that you can the best of your ability post-run and protein is 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.

You should look into supplements to help your recovery and performance.

However, be careful as many runners will recommend you take every supplement under the sun. When I first started with supplements I was paying loads taking all the supplements to help me. Whilst most of them were great, a lot of them were just a waste of money.

Read: Top 6 Supplements For Runners.

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.

8. Wear your compression socks

Compression gear helps to get blood circulating 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.