Most of us know what to do immediately following a race- rest, ice, massage, hydrate, replenish lost calories. But what you do in the weeks following a big race is important; recovery isn’t a break from training, it is an important part of your training! Here are 4 tips to improve your post-race recovery!
1.) Take a break!
Amount of time you take depends on race distance/how you feel. If you ran a marathon, a good rule of thumb is to take a week off of all cardiovascular activities (including cross training), as research shows those who do so recover faster. For shorter distances like the 5k, you may not need as much time off from all activity. Our bodies actually get stronger and heal when we take time off, and if you don’t allow your body to rest, your performance will suffer. Rest is important for both the physical and mental health of athletes.
2.) Explore different types of exercise
When you do return to activity, decrease your volume, intensity, and specificity. This is the active rest or “second transition” phase of periodization and should include some light cross training! Do something you enjoy; get in the pool, or on a bike! This phase should not last longer than 4 weeks, as it will take you longer to return to your prior level of performance much past this time frame.
3.) Take time to address some nagging training pains you may have been ignoring prior to your race
Visit your local PT for any persistent issues! The sooner you address it, the better. While I’d rather my patients see me when their issue first begins, I know that we runners sometimes wait to address persistent aches and pains so we can just finish the race. The active recovery phase is a great time to address these issues.
4.) Gradually return to running
Make sure that you gradually increase your mileage/intensity when you are ready to return to your normal running schedule. This will decrease your risk for injury! You can start at 50% of your normal training volume and increase by 10% per week to work up from there. For example, if I normally ran 30 miles/week, I can start at 15 miles the first week back, then increase by 10% each week from there- 16.5 miles the following week, ~18 miles the next week, and so on. It is important to plan this out prior to scheduling your next race so you aren’t rushed to increase your volume and end up hurt! Also, remember that we should only be changing one variable at a time-don’t start speed work until you’re comfortably back up to your baseline volume.