The 3 Most Important Recovery Strategies For Runners
A wise coach once told me, “You’re not as good as the workouts you do — you’re only as good as you recover from the workouts you do.”
This advice has stuck with me through the years and for good reason: Many runners believe that the key to improvement is working harder today than you did yesterday. While there’s some truth to this line of thinking, it can be a dangerous trap to fall into if you’re not careful. Yes, you need long runs, tough workouts and good weekly mileage to launch you to the next level, but if you can’t recover from the training you’re doing, then it’s not doing you much good. Without rest and recovery, not only are you denying your body time to adapt to the stress it’s under and to enable the gains you have made to take hold, but also you are sure to start your next workout under-fueled, exhausted, or possibly fighting off illness or injury.
Recovery is an ongoing part of the training process but it’s also the element that many runners tend to ignore, downplay or misconstrue by focusing on the wrong things.
It doesn’t just mean reluctantly taking a day off from training, downing a protein shake following a tough workout, throwing on your compression socks after a race, jumping in the ice bath when your legs are sore or spending a few hundred bucks on the latest and greatest recovery gadget. Sure, those things can all help a little bit but they lose sight of the forest for the trees.
Want to recover faster from tough workouts and hard races? You don’t need to go out and spend any more money on “recovery products.” Start implementing the following three strategies today. They’re the best recovery tools available to you as a runner and won’t cost you a dime.
1. Slow down!
Everyone gets excited when they nail a great workout. Some people get so excited they go out and hammer again the next day when they should be running easy. Not so fast! If you’re not doing a workout or following a specific pace assignment from your coach, pull the throttle back and slow down. Many runners mindlessly fall into the trap of going medium-hard all the time — meaning they’re not running hard enough to make gains but but not going easy enough to truly absorb the work they’re doing — which compromises recovery and adaptation. Push yourself when necessary, but have the discipline and confidence to run slow between quality sessions.
2. Get more sleep.
There’s a big reason why many elite runners sleep 10 or more hours a night and it has nothing to do with being lazy. When you’re sleeping, the body is working hard to recover and repair itself so that it can better handle the stresses you’re continually placing upon it. While we can’t all sleep 10 hours a night like the elites do, a little more sleep will go a long way. Make small adjustments, such as aiming to go to bed 15–30 minutes earlier than you normally do. Fifteen minutes may not seem like much on its own but it will compound over time and enhance your recovery more than anything else you can do or buy!
3. Drink up.
Water is the world’s oldest and most effective cleansing agent. So what does that have to do with recovery? Everything! Your muscles need water to function effectively. Drinking water after a workout will also help flush your system of all the toxins and waste that build up when you push your body hard. Keep a water bottle at arm’s length at all times and sip from it regularly throughout the day, especially after you’ve finished working out. “Forgetting to drink” is a weak excuse that compromises performance and recovery.
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