Recovery after running – how to improve it? 10 running recovery tips!

Recovery after running is the fundament of your condition. If you neglect it, your training will consume your body instead of making it stronger! How to improve post-running recovery training? Follow these 10 helpful tips! Get back on your feet fast and run without any pain, cramps, or muscle soreness.

Quick regeneration after running – how much can you do?

Let’s be real – no method will make you regenerate after running in a few hours. Recovery includes the healing of muscles, joints, and bones, and the regulation of the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. The level of electrolytes and glycogen needs to be regenerated. It will take a while. Be patient!

As your training progresses, your recovery after running will become more efficient. Professionals even train twice a day. Advanced runners run every day without any problems.

You have to notice that you can help your body recover – muscle soreness will be milder, and you will get back on your feet a dozen or so hours earlier. However, do not expect a revolution. Why? It is because the body still has its natural limitations and you have to remember them! 

Now let’s look at the 10 running recovery tips!

1. Stretching!

After each running training, do static stretching of the legs, torso, and arms – stretch the entire body. When you run, your muscles contract. If you leave them in this form, it will be harder for them to heal. More blood and regenerating nutrients flow into the stretched, relaxed muscle.

If you are bored with classic stretching exercises, try yoga. It is an excellent way for the body and soul to relax – the ultimate post-workout cooling down!

Stretching does not give revolutionary results when it comes to post-workout soreness. Still expect muscle soreness, but a bit smaller – at least there is that!

2. Recovery after running VS cooling down and stretching

Spend the last few minutes of your training on a gentle run, or even walking. By cooling down the rushing organism, the muscles will not experience shock – a sudden transition from the intense effort to stillness. During a cooling jog, muscles will begin to return to their natural shape.

After finishing the training, you can also help your body recover from the exhausting run thanks to…

3. Recovery after running VS BCAA supplements 

Are you interested in fast post-running recovery? The way to do this is by supplementing with BCAA amino acids. They are very quickly absorbed, so the repair processes start immediately after you take the supplements. 

BCAA amino acids are worth taking especially when after the run there is another physical effort that is waiting for you – for example, a night shift. If the body will not be able to rest and heal properly on the couch, and you want to avoid powerful muscle soreness – take BCAA.

You will find amino acids naturally in meals that contain proteins but digesting the food delays absorption. In the case of supplements, there is no problem. 

4. Vitamins VS quick regeneration after running

All the vitamins you know affect different aspects of the after-training recovery. 

Vitamin C? Products the collagen in your body – the protein that builds among others – joints. 

Vitamin D and K? Are responsible for the calcium and that it will reach bone tissue. Is also responsible for the regeneration and strengthening of the skeleton. 

Vitamins from the B group? Regulate nervous and endocrine systems. They also renew tissues.

You don’t need to supplement vitamins. Eat healthily, choose fruits and vegetables in unprocessed form, and have your vitamin levels tested at least once a year. The body, supplied with these micronutrients, will make the post-run recovery efficient.

4.5 Watch the protein!

Just a reminder! Protein is the basic building block of muscle – eat at least 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Without a daily dose of protein, you won’t regenerate your muscles!

5. Running recovery after workout VS protein meal 

After the run, you have to eat a meal that contains monosaccharides and 30-40 grams of protein. Monosaccharides stimulate the secretion of insulin. Insulin, as a hormone that transports substances to cells, will ensure that amino acids from proteins get to the muscles.

A dose of simple sugars after running will also help muscle glycogen levels recover quickly. It would renew itself without it as well, but after all, you are anxious to get things going as quickly as possible.

While eating your post-workout meal, replenish your hydration. A fruit smoothie or freshly squeezed juice is a dose of carbohydrates and vitamins – you’ll read more about vitamins next. 

5.5  Cherry juice – the elixir of recovery!

There is an interesting drink that you can test on your muscle soreness – cherry juice can relieve soreness and positively affect post-run recovery. 

After your next workout, drink a solid cup of cherry juice and pay attention to how you feel the next day. It must be natural cherry juice – not a cherry-flavored drink!

6. Limit alcohol!

We can write about the effects of alcohol on the body of the runner. Let’s limit ourselves to a few simple facts about recovery after running:

• alcohol inhibits protein synthesis, i.e the rebuilding of muscle tissue 
• slows down the renewal of glycogen 
• disturbs sleep (yes – when sober you are sleeping a lot better!) 

What is more, alcohol also dehydrates you, burdens the liver, and gives you a nasty hangover after it… and so on!

7. Rolling and massage

Have you ever tried rolling? It’s kind of a self-massage. It helps to improve circulation in tense muscles and restore muscle flexibility.  

Rolling can be performed using a special foam roller. On the market, you can find smooth foam rollers with insets of various degrees of hardness. For starters, choose a smooth, soft foam roll. The hard, studded variants that massage deep layers of muscles will take time for you to get used to it. 

Instead of rolling, you can try self-massage with a ball or a special massage gun. Press hard enough to feel pressure and discomfort but no pain.

8. Cold is your friend!

Cold showers, cold compresses, and massages with ice cubes are an all-around remedy for pain – including post-running recovery. By cooling down the muscles you create better conditions for regeneration. Cold soothes the inflammation which impedes healing processes. 

Cold baths and showers are for the brave ones, but it is worth convincing yourself to do it. they not only ease the pain and speed up the recovery after running. By the way, they harden your body and increase your tolerance to cold. It is best to try cold baths and showers during summer – when the heat is no longer tolerable and doesn’t let you take a break, an ice bath rises to the rank of luxury home equipment!

Topically – on sore feet and calves – apply a simple cooling compress. All you need is a bag of ice or a towel soaked in cold water. 

9. Quick post-running recovery VS sleep

Most of the body’s recovery process occurs when you are peacefully and deeply sleeping. It is the deepest phase of sleep (NREM). In this phase, the body produces a large dose of the growth hormone. Growth hormones regenerate muscles, joints, bones – everything!

Take care of the quality of your sleep. Waking up at night and sleeping less than 7 hours a day will disrupt regeneration. No supplements can fix it. 

Before going to bed, ventilate the apartment, do breathing exercises, and drink the last coffee no later than 6 hours after going to bed. Replace bedding with one that is proper for the season, so you don’t freeze or sweat. Pay attention to the sheet – is it not scratching you? Details are crucial when it comes to a good night’s sleep. 

If you have problems with insomnia, don’t wait – see a doctor. The cause may lie in a hormonal or mental disorder.

10. Recovery = rest!

Last but not least…and most important. The body must rest – it won’t recover after running if you don’t give it time to do so.

Take at least 48h breaks between your training sessions. As your training processes, you will be able to run every day. What is important is that you cannot rush the process. 

Give up on running when your muscles are sore. If you want to be physically active on a recovery day, choose to walk or swim. Only when the post-training soreness is gone, you will know that your regeneration is on the right track, and you can safely come back to running. 

Recovery after running is a very important part of your training. The basics are sleep, a rich vitamins and protein diet, and good old-fashioned rest between the runs. 

Fast post-running recovery? Try cherry juice, self-massage, and cooling compress. Don’t expect spectacular results, though. Recovery after running is not only about healing the muscle tissue – it’s a series of complex processes. Give your body time to recover!

Check out our suggestions for stretching exercises: Stretching exercises for runners – 20 exercises you need to include in your training plan.