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Recovery Run

Following a very long/ hard run or a competitive run, convention dictates that the next day one does a recovery run. Typically it's a 30-40 minute run at a pace about 1 min/ km slower than your usual race day pace. 


The theory behind it is that it flushes out the lactic acid that inevitably builds up in the muscles after an effort run, helping alleviate the pain and soreness of the muscles, preventing them from cramping up, improves your fatigue resistance/ endurance and adds to your mileage with a chance to work on your running form also. 

This is what the proponents claim; though probably there is not enough scientific data to conclusively prove it. The detractors are more dismissive of this 'jogging'!!🤐


From personal experience, I agree with a part of the theory. A short recovery run of 5K or 30 minutes duration is helpful in loosening up the muscles that are stiff after an effort run. If you listen closely to your body, it also helps identify the parts that have taken a hammering/ beating the previous day. Thus you are able to target them for more TLC (tender, loving care) and strengthening. It is also the time when you can actually relive yesterday's run, introspect and pinpoint where you did well and where you lacked. 


For me a recovery run is not just recovering physically, it is an emotional and psychological recovery as well. Hence, I don't subscribe to the view that a recovery run should always be slower than your usual pace. If the effort run has not been up to expectations, one needs a pick up the next day. A strong recovery run washes away the disappointment, kicks out the frustration, reassures and reinvigorates you for a fresh challenge💪. And if the effort run has been up to the mark, I for one am anyway so high on adrenaline that a slow run is out of question. A 'high' begets a higher 'high'!! However, there are some days, when an effort run has been deeply satisfying at an emotional level too and that leads into a more 'mellow' recovery or quite the contrary, you might be so beat-up that the legs refuse to respond and you actually end up doing a slow one. 


All in all, a recovery run is a good thing, of about 30 minutes duration, usually within 24 hours of your effort run. The other bits of it are 'As you like it'. If you need a lift or are on a high, go for a strong quick one. If you are dead or 'mellow': go for a slow relaxed one. Listen to your mind, heart, legs....and not necessarily in that order!😅

Comments

  1. Vikas K11 March 2021 at 20:37

    Thought provoking, it appears there are no set rules. It depends on a "satisfying" or not so satisfying run. In my case it approves your theory.

    Good informative blog from an informed athelete.

    Keep enlightening

    ReplyDelete

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