If you’ve just started running, you might be feeling a bit sore and tired. It’s easy to push too hard too fast, especially in the beginning. Learn how to use smart recovery tips so you can let your body heal between bouts of training. It might feel counter-intuitive to rest instead of training, but it will make you stronger, and hopefully reduce some of those aches, too.
What happens to your body when you run
Like all physical exercise, running creates micro-tears in your muscle fibre. You build strength as those muscles repair. Your bones and joints will also be under stress from all those strides (especially if you’re running on hard surfaces like roads or pavement).
Running recovery before you start
Wear compression clothing while you run, and don’t take them off for at least 15 minutes after you’re done. The pressure of the clothing will hold your muscles in place, and increase blood flow and oxygen to your fibres, which helps them heal faster.
Running recovery food
Nutrition plays a huge part in running recovery. If you give your tired muscles the right fuel, they can build and repair faster. Make sure to rehydrate, and keep on top of your electrolyte intake. Within an hour of finishing a run, eat a snack of around 300 calories that’s about 60% carbohydrate and 30% protein. It will restore glycogen (energy) to your muscles.
Schedule recovery training sessions
If you’re training regularly, you may wear yourself out over time if you don’t schedule strategic recovery weeks. Dial back the mileage and try to avoid hills or speed training. If you’re planning weekly, schedule a shorter, slower run each week. These recovery tips will help your body rest, and come out stronger for the next week of harder training.
If it hurts, stop
This is one of the most simple but most effective recovery tips. New runners can get so excited that they run through early signs of injury. If you notice a niggling pain in your joints or hamstrings, stop running for a few days. Sometimes complete rest is what you need. If you continue to run through developing pain, you’ll cause yourself more damage. Joint pain and tendon pain are common for this, and those areas can be difficult to heal if injured.
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Whilst Enertor has over 18 years Orthotics experience, our blog content is provided for informational purposes only and it is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical advice. Enertor advises anyone with an injury to seek their own medical advice – and do not make any health or medical related decisions based solely on information found on this site.
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