Race Recovery Tips
For most of us, following any hard race you wake up the next morning a bit stiff and sore. The dreaded walk down the stairs is enough to keep you in bed that little while longer, mustering up the motivation to move. Getting your recovery right is more important than you might think. It can mean the difference between taking days or weeks to feel good again. If you really get things wrong, it can lead to illness, injury and long-term harm. So to help you manage the post-race banged up body, and mind, here’s our top 5 tips.
1. Sleep
Assuming you have a healthy diet, the number one way to recover is by spending as much time horizontal as you can. Sleep is when you not only reduce inflammation, but you also get tissue repair. The deeper the sleep and longer, the better. And it’s also wise to focus on sleep as a priority for at least a week.
2. Eat
The longer the race distance, the mor calories you’ll need to replenish. However, it’s not only energy levels that need a kick along. Iron and protein intake should be increased from normal levels too. All the pounding of the race will have taken its toll on your body and in order to repair the damage you need the building blocks. Natural sources are always preferrable, but supplements are fine to fill the gaps.
3. Massage
One of the best ways to get the body moving again and relieve some of the stiffness is a good, hard massage. Not a gentle relaxation one, but something that makes you squirm a little and forces you to breathe through the discomfort. I usually suggest getting a massage three or four days after the race, so there’s ample time for the body to recover a little and some of the tension to reduce. If you have the time and money, then a relaxation type rubdown is a good thing to do a few days after. It’s an opportunity to chill out, reflect on the event and give the brain a chance to declutter.
4. Stretch and foam roll
Daily gentle stretching and rolling, starting the day after the event, will reduce tension and provides an opportunity to relax. I use this time to firstly have an inner debrief about the race, and then to start thinking over what to do better next time. Then once I have some clarity around what I just did, while stretching the following days I start to plan for future races and training. With your stretching, the first couple days should be really gentle, and as you start to recover you can do more dynamic movements.
5. Hot Water Immersion
I have used the term ‘Hot water immersion’ as this includes long, hot baths, showers and saunas. I’ve found that either of these three options has been quite effective in reducing stiffness and soreness after events, but should only be done once you’ve rehydrated well. While there’s no proven benefits in terms of tissue repair or inflammation reduction, these three recovery techniques always leave me feeling much more mobile with less acute stiffness. I personally try to have a sauna or hot shower prior to the massage session as I feel like it allows me to get more from the rubdown as I’m less touch-sensitive.
To finish things off, the above are the do’s, so here’s a few don’ts. Avoid taking anti-inflammatory pills as they can prolong recovery and mask minor injuries. Don’t stop moving. It’s best to maintain a level of activity, such as swimming, cycling, walks or short jogs. Try not to over analyse the race. It’s good to think about what went right and what went wrong, but dwelling on it for too long will only take away from the experience you had. If you had a bad day, focus on new goals and correcting mistakes or weaknesses. Lastly, don’t rush back into training too soon. You may feel good, but once you load the body up it could tell you a different story. Ease back into training and don’t be afraid to back off at the first sign of fatigue.