Recovery After Your Race

Recovery After Your Race

Congratulations on completing your race. You did it. All the training and hard work paid off and I hope you are proud of your accomplishment. As a general rule of thumb, it is suggested to take one day of rest per mile ran. Therefore, after a 5k, most runners will require a recovery period of two to four days. As you are recovering from your race here are some tips to help aid in your recovery and minimize the soreness.

1. Get active rest. This can include going for a light jog, a walk, cycling, and/or swimming. Low intensity cardio will reduce lactate levels, improve aerobic capacity, and speed up recovery.
2. Perform regular stretching to help loosed those tight muscles.
3. Use a foam roller to help lengthen muscles and break up knots.
4. Eat a diet with whole foods consisting of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy dietary fats.
5. Hydrate and replace electrolytes with drinks consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
6. Get sleep. Rest is imperative in allowing your body to fully recover.
7. Challenge yourself to an ice bath for 10-15 minutes submerged from the hips down.

*Please follow The Lifestyle Technique, LLC for more tips and advice on fitness, nutrition, and ways to optimize your overall health.

Don’t forget to check out the last post from Michelle Daniel!