A recovery run is often considered to be an essential part of a runner’s training and physical preparation. But at the risk of disappointing you, Guillaume Millet (professor and researcher in exercise physiology and three-time Top 6 finisher in the UTMB) suggests that the true effects of a recovery run on restoring your full physical and mental capacity after a big training session or race can actually be negative.
In this article focusing on trail running as well as road running and marathons, we will discuss:
- What recovery is in both running and sports in general.
- How to adapt your recovery according to your running habits.
- Why not to run for recovery after training or a competition.
- Our advice for good ways to recover after running.
The importance of recovery in running
Warm down, regenerate, relax… these familiar expressions for active recovery are numerous and can often be a bit vague. Let’s clarify things a little so we’ll all be clear on what we’re speaking about in this article.
The definition of ‘recovery’ in sports
Although it may seem obvious at first glance, the concept of recovery in sports and running is not that easy to define. For instance, is recovery complete when your muscles have regained all their strength? When you no longer feel physical or mental fatigue, or pain from the effort you've made?
One definition proposed by Guillaume Millet (and other scientists) is that “we have recovered from an effort once we are able to reproduce the same effort or the same performance.”
It’s therefore easy to see that the idea of recovery in sport, to be complete, must encompass several indicators – physiological, neurological and psychological – for what it means to ‘return to normal.’
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Understand the type of effort from which you want to recover
As a runner, it’s easy to understand that you don’t recover from an endurance session in the same way as you do from a split session, an ultra-trail or a 10k run. Because the stress and energy demands on the body differ based on the duration and intensity of physical effort involved, it’s necessary to adapt your recovery plan accordingly.
In the case of recovery runs, it’s important to understand that the longer you take to recover from a big effort, the less beneficial it will be to your recovery.
What is a recovery run?
To return to the level of performance you had when you started your run, several aspects – such as hydration, diet, sleep, and the management of any muscular or joint pain – need to be considered. Eliminating the various metabolic waste products is one of these aspects, and this is where the famous recovery run, or ‘warm-down’ session, comes into play.
A recovery run is a running session performed at a very low pace that follows an effort like a training session or race. The idea is to accelerate the evacuation and recycling of the various metabolic waste products (notably lactic acid in the muscles) that are produced during your effort and remain in your body. This low-intensity physical effort reheats the muscles and increases blood circulation, which speeds up the recovery process. Recovery runs can be performed ‘hot’, immediately after the session, or ‘cold’, several hours or even days later.
So should I do a recovery run or not? We’ll get to that in a bit.
Why not go for a recovery run?
According to Guillaume Millet, there are no scientific studies that show the health benefits of a recovery run. And even worse, the few studies that have been carried out (such as those done by Sherman who studied runners after a marathon) show that recovery runs slow down the recovery process compared to athletes who completely rest after their race.
Practically speaking, we know that at total rest, lactic acid (or more precisely, lactate) is converted into glucose by the body, and it will have certainly disappeared from your muscles by the day after the race… just when you’d like to go for an easy jog to loosen up.
Take, for example, a particularly long effort such as an ultra-trail. For Guillaume Millet, the priority for recovery is muscle recovery and to restore energy. So this really isn't the time to go out and burn new calories and stress your muscles again by going for a run. So put your shoes away for a while!
We also know, thanks to numerous studies, that a good night's sleep is an essential factor in sports recovery. If you choose to get up early to go running the day after a major effort, this loss of sleep will not help your recovery. Alternatively, after a very intense effort such as a split session or a 10 km race pace run, jogging at a slow pace can help you calm down. But if it does have a positive effect on your recovery, it's primarily because it helps you sleep better after the excitement of your evening workout.
To sum it all up, the best way to recover well after a long and sustained run, is really to rest, without sport, and to do next to nothing.
Our advice on how to recover from running
At this time, recovery runs have not been scientifically proven for runners. However, establishing a physical recovery routine that’s specific to the type of effort involved will be beneficial for your health and optimize the rest of your running season. Here are a few tips and possible ideas.
Eat smart
The body assimilates food and hydration particularly well in the so-called metabolic window, from two to four hours after your effort. During this time, eating fast carbohydrates and proteins for muscle recovery, and of course hydrating, will enable you to replenish your reserves more efficiently. And that's good for a runner's recovery!
All rest, no sports
After a long effort such as an ultra-trail or marathon, the key word for recovery is REST! Get enough sleep, enjoy your family and kick back in that deckchair you've been dreaming about during your race. A recovery run would draw on the reserves you're trying to replenish and slow the regeneration of micro-injuries. Contrary to popular belief, it does nothing for your recovery, and therefore your health.
The benefits of cross-training for a smooth recovery
After several days' rest (or even several weeks if you've just completed the last ultra-trail or marathon of a long season) you'll probably be lacing up your running shoes for some low-intensity runs. Let's be clear, these running sessions are really training sessions, not recovery sessions.
In this period between the end of physical recovery and the start of serious training, prioritize non-weight bearing sports such as swimming and cycling. For starters, it's a change of pace, and in addition these sports have the advantage of protecting your body from the repeated shocks of running.
Complementary recovery techniques
The recovery period is the perfect time to take care of your body and mind. Meditation, yoga, massages and light stretching can help you to regain a clear head and light legs before resuming your training gently and in tune with your body. Recovery is also an opportunity to make progress without your running shoes!
As you can see, there's no such thing as a recovery run. Putting your body through the wringer again, inflicting the shocks of each stride and using up your energy reserves is clearly not the best way to recover from an effort, especially a long one. To properly recover, choose real rest instead. You'll have plenty of time to get back to running once this regeneration period is over. Guillaume Millet concludes: "The difficulty of good recovery lies in striking the right balance between sufficient rest, and not waiting so long that the de-training process sets in."
