Sometimes running gives us more energy, and sometimes it grinds us down and spits us out. There are ways to help make sure you recover from a hard run so that the next run will be good, too.
I am joining the Friday Five 2.0 from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy to share five things I do to recover.
Hydrate + Electrolytes
You may only drink water during the race, but you’re losing electrolytes through your sweat. So you need to hydrate and make sure you get some electrolytes back into your system.
Keep Moving
It is so, so tempting to just sit down and not move once you finish a race, but if you keep walking around you’ll recover faster and feel less stiff and sore in the following days. Notice I said less — you can expect some stiffness & soreness!
Recovery Snack
You haven’t just depleted your electrolytes, you’ve depleted your glycogen stores too — you know, the things that give you some get up and go. So you need to restock them. Can’t face real food? A smoothie or chocolate milk can start you on the road to recovery.
Compression socks
There is a lot of debate on whether or not compression socks do anything for you while running — although I do feel as though they help — but most research agrees that wearing them after your run can speed u your recovery. One of the main ways compression socks help recovery is by increasing blood flow to your muscles and joints, which helps them get the nutrients they need to recover.
Legs up the wall
Or the couch. Or a stability ball. Or raised on a pillow.
What do you think helps you recover faster from a hard run/race?
Compression socks: never, during, after or both during & after?
Do you have a favorite yoga recovery pose?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
YES to all of these (though I don’t always put my legs up a wall!) – I am a firm believer in active recovery so that would be my most important one followed by FOOD (protein/carb) right after a hard workout/race.
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I don’t always do legs up the wall either, But I try — it really helps a lot and is so simple to do.
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Food of course.
Recovery run the next day. You may not feel like it but it helps.
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It’s pretty rare that I do a recovery run, actually. It happens, but I am much more likely to have the day off running after a long run.
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It actually depends on my schedule not on my legs.
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These are all great tips. I need to put my legs up the wall more. Last weekend after a hot bike ride I put a nun ta in a glass of sparkling water — I think I really needed the extra electrolytes and I felt so much better afterwards.
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I need to do legs up the wall more myself, too, LOL!
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Legs up the wall is my personal favorite. Sometimes when I do yoga, instead of savasana, I’ll do legs up the wall. It is so relaxing!
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But I really like savasana, too. 🙂
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Love a small glass of chocolate milk after hard runs. It’s my recovery protein, carbs and a reward all rolled into one cold delicious gulp!
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me too!!!!!!!
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I could be so much better at recovery than I am!I used to drink chocolate milk after runs too but kind of stopped maybe I need to bring those back for summer
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I am not a chocolate milk fan personally, but if it works for you, summer definitely sounds like the right time to have some!
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Yes know the moving around really makes sense. On days I would come home and lay down after my swimming sessions were the days where I just felt like blahs, but the days where I biked and ran afterwards, I actually felt much better.
I’m probably one of the few people who are not a fan of compression socks. -M
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It is definitely not always easy to get yourself moving again — especially when it’s so humid out!
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I do wear compression socks during longer runs but honestly, I don’t know that they really help because sometimes, my legs are just tired! But, they do help keep things off my legs when I’m running the trails so I go with it. I should probably start wearing them after a tough run but I haven’t yet. I don’t have a good reason why. *shrugs* Probably because they’re so hard to get on and off! (although, I did just learn recently that there are different levels of compression so that may be my problem!)
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Wear sleeves. Easier to get on and off.
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Smart idea! Hadn’t thought of it that way. Thanks!
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I like compression socks, but they’re too hot for me in the summer. Although that reminds me I ought to be wearing some right now . . . oops! When it’s colder I wear them all the time.
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My recovery from my first half was all so wrong! I sat and sat and sat, and I was sore for days.
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My first half was Vegas. Although I did have to walk to get back to the hotel, of course it was almost 10 pm by that time . . . and I hadn’t had any dinner!
We all live & learn, right?
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I like post-race naps.
I prefer compression sleeves to socks because I have (proportionally) big feet. So if the socks fit my feet, they don’t give much compression to my legs. I usually wear the sleeves for longer races. I will pull out my one pair of compression socks for recovery sometimes.
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I actually prefer compression socks — and I, too, have proportionally large feet — I’m 5’1″ and wear a size 9 running shoe!
My problem with the compression socks were usually that they were too tight around my feet — I don’t like my toes being compressed!
I actually wear Mud Gear compression socks — they’re not tight on my feet and they have enough cushioning for me.
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Legs up the wall is my favorite. I did legs up a tree last weekend when I finished my trail run haha
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There are too many ants in our backyard to do legs up a tree!
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All of the above! I’m a huge fan of compression socks or sleeves after a long run (10+miles), and sometimes I wear them for the run/race as well.
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I run in compression socks when it’s cool — about mid 50s and down. Over that and they’re too warm for me.
Wouldn’t you know I completely skipped the compression socks after my long run today? Harder to remember when it’s hot & humid (or humid, anyway).
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I would have to go with food. But all of these are great!
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Yes to all of this! I like to walk a little after the race, I like to imagine it makes me feel better the next day.
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