POST-RUN RECOVERY

Runners and walkers need to do everything in their power to accelerate muscle recovery after exercise.

Refueling and Re-hydrating

After the LSD (long, slow, distance) run, drink plenty of water and get some food into yourself as soon as possible. Try to have a bagel, a banana, a sports bar/drink or other bland high-carbohydrate foods in the fifteen minutes after you stop running. This will promote rapid rehydration, replenishment of muscle and liver glycogen, and muscle tissue repair, and will reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Continue to “graze” for the next two hours in order to replace lost proteins, electrolytes and anti-oxidants. If your run was over 90 minutes, be sure to snack frequently on high-carbohydrate foods for the next 24 hours, since it will take a while to restore your depleted reserves. Continue to drink water until your urine is clear. Avoid caffeine and alcohol until at least the evening after the run because they can contribute to dehydration.

Stretching

Runners and walkers should stretch their muscles immediately after each workout, as this accelerates the removal of metabolic wastes from the muscles and prevents tightening of the muscles.

Keep moving and stay warm. If you plop yourself under the nearest tree after finishing, your muscles will become stiffer than they already are. Change into warm, comfortable clothes and walk around to keep blood flowing through your legs. Your feet will probably be swollen and may be blistered, so change into a roomy pair of shoes.

A light stretch later in the day and the next morning will help you stay limber and speed up your recovery time.

Rest and Recovery

After the LSD run, do exactly what your body wants you to do: nothing. Do not engage in 4-hour sight seeing tours or long canyon hikes. If you’re experiencing soreness, ice those knees, ankles and any other sore area. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for at least an hour. After icing, you may want to take a warm bath, which will allow the muscles to relax and allow the blood to circulate.

And finally, at some point prior to the next workout, runners should engage in self-massage to reduce tissue swelling, increase blood flow, and relieve muscular adhesions and trigger points. (The only exception to this rule is for sufferers of ITB inflammation at the side of the knee, which is caused by the band rubbing across the top of the tibia…in this case, work the band along the side of the upper leg, but don’t rub the side of the knee, which can inflame the area.)

Key

Know the difference between being sore and being in pain. If you are in pain, do not exercise. Consult a coach or doctor as soon as possible.