Running
Running Recovery: 9 essential tips to reset and recharge
Post-running recovery is just as important as training as it protects your body as you condition it to move faster and for longer and improve your overarching health!
“I can’t tell you how much it’s helped me to get eight hours of sleep,” shared American track and field athlete Kaylin Whitney. “Otherwise, for recovery, it’s mainly massage, the chiropractor and contrast baths.”
Whether you’re training for the global Wings for Life World Charity Run or any other running event, focusing on rest, hydration, and nutrition is key to supporting your body. Building a running recovery routine based on these pillars sets you up for healthy habits.
Here are nine essential running recovery tips to help you get stronger and rebound faster.
Wings for Life World Run in Zadar, Croatia on May 07, 2023
© Tomislav Moze for Wings for Life World Run
01
Stay hydrated
Proper hydration keeps muscle cramps at bay while replenishing the fluids and electrolytes you continue to lose after your run ends. But there’s something to say about what you drink, how much you drink, and how you drink it.
Sure, drinking plenty of water is part of the equation, but think beyond plain cold water for running recovery. For best results, look for ways to replenish the electrolytes your body sweats out during physical activity. This could be a sports drink, oral hydration solutions, coconut water, or simply adding salt to your water before, during, and after workouts.
All this said, even if you’re very thirsty, be careful not to chug. Slower sipping ensures you’re replacing what you continue to lose post-run.
02
Focus on nutrition
High-protein snacks rich in essential amino acids support and speed up the muscle protein synthesis process that builds and maintains muscle. Pairing these proteins with complex carbohydrates replenishes the glycogen spent during your run, enabling your body to repair and rebuild. Unsaturated fats are also part of a runner’s ideal diet.
Edamame, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and hummus are just a few examples of grab-and-go high-protein snacks you can reach for after a run. Don’t rule out a shake with protein powder either if smoothies are more your speed.
If you have time for a meal after your run, build a protein-packed plate with chicken, fish, or tofu as the star. Add a healthy grain on the side, like quinoa, for your carb intake. Timing makes a big difference, too: Eat a few hours after your run to maximize your running recovery benefits.
03
Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more
Kristian Ilves stretching at Wings For Life World Run in Tallinn, Estonia
© Harry Tiits / Wings For Life World Run
Post-run stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. This stretching opens up the blood vessels around the body part you’re focusing on, which lets more blood through and yields anti-inflammatory effects. It also helps reduce muscle soreness, also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is the scientific term for the pains and aches you can experience in your muscles and joints after running.
Dynamic stretches — those that involve motion — before your run can lower your risk of injury. Static stretches — those with no motion — can fend off DOMS. Professional runners make ample time for both.
“In every track athlete’s bag, you’ll find ropes, lacrosse balls, golf balls—whatever gets the job done,” Whitney shared about her post-run stretching routine. “I spend 60 to 90 minutes doing my strides and stretching. I like to use ropes to stretch. I lie on my back and put the ropes around my feet to stretch my hamstrings, quads and glutes. And I do a lot of hip stretches, because my hips get super tight when I sprint.”
Check out this guide for the best stretches for runners to learn more.
04
Break out the foam roller
Stefan Svitko foam rolling in his garage in Vysny Kubin, Slovakia in 2020
© Filip Nagy / Red Bull Content Pool
It’s not just your muscles that need a break for proper post-run recovery — your myofascial tissue needs some TLC, too. This thin layer of tissue across your body is key to supporting your range of motion, flexibility, and comfort. Too tight, and you can feel stiff and sore after a run.
Enter foam rollers: These at-home devices let you loosen these tissues yourself in a process called self-myofascial release (SMR). Studies on long-distance runners have found that engaging with SMR significantly proves muscle flexibility. Make some time in your recovery for foam rolling your thighs, hamstrings, and glutes, among other areas.
05
Don’t skip sleep
Sleep is how your body repairs itself, muscles included. A lack of sleep may correlate to a spike in the stress hormone cortisol and reductions in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and testosterone levels. These three factors can get in the way of optimal muscle recovery. Prioritizing healthy sleep habits will go a long way if you want to beat your PR.
The importance of prioritizing consistent, quality sleep to improve endurance has been proven time and again in studies. This includes a 2021 Journal of Strength and Conditions Research study and another study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (MSSE) in 2019.
Most experts recommend getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night, with the 2019 MSSE study recommending a minimum of eight hours per night.
“I focus on sleeping more,” Whitney shared with Red Bull. “Before, I would sleep for five or six hours, but I wasn’t waking up refreshed.”
06
Try an ice bath
Whitney said in her Red Bull interview that she alternates between warm and cold plunges as part of her post-sprint recovery. And she’s not alone — many elite athletes, runners among them, have embraced frigid temperatures to reduce inflammation and soreness after training or competing. While studies are still being conducted on the efficacy of ice baths, also called cryotherapy or cold water immersion, many elite athletes swear by them.
Safety is key during an ice bath — direct skin exposure to freezing temperatures can be dangerous. Experts recommend wearing shorts and a t-shirt during your ice bath and having warm clothes available to step into immediately afterward. This way, you quickly bring your body back up to a stable temperature while still enjoying the potential benefits of ice baths. Your ice bath should last no longer than 15 minutes, and drinking a warm beverage afterward may help too.
07
Try cross-training
Kate Courtney does yoga to prepare for the cross country season in 2019
© Paris Gore / Red Bull Content Pool
Yes, exercising on off days can still be part of recovery, or in this case, active recovery. This practice involves engaging your body in different and more gentle ways, so you’re still exercising but giving your knees, legs, feet, and hips that much-needed break.
Yoga and swimming are great cross-training examples for runners — they engage your body without demanding too much stress on your joints.
08
Build recovery into your routine
Just like any good habit, making recovery part of your running ritual is key to developing a routine that sticks. Ensure you allow yourself enough time to stretch, foam roll, do some yoga, and grab a bite to eat. Give yourself a rest day too — one day off every seven to 10 days can lower your risk of injury. If this feels unusual for you, know that practice makes perfect.
Create a routine you can stick to, and find ways to make your new habits work for your lifestyle.
09
Listen to your body
Pushing through pain can have unintended long-term consequences. Repetitive stress injuries like “runner’s knee” and plantar fasciitis are common. However, you can prevent them if you learn to sense what feels normal for your body and what seems out of the ordinary. Be on the lookout for signals like consistent pain or swelling. If they don’t get better on their own, seek an evaluation from a medical professional or training specialist.
A coach, physical therapist, or sports medicine professional can get your recovery back on track.
Running recovery tips after Wings for Life World Run and beyond
Wings for Life World Run 2023 recently happened, and proper recovery is key to a great run. It helps prevent injuries that can keep you from running while preparing you for longer distances and faster times. As you lace up and warm up, don’t forget that all-important time at the end to prepare your body for recovery. It’s how you support yourself as you meet your athletic goals.
3 min
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