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Six Tips for Better Rest & Recovery
Most runners will agree that an awesome run today can sometimes lead to an unpleasant tomorrow. Not only can soreness really put a damper on your day, it can also hold you back from reaching your fitness goals! Here are a few of the most important steps you can take to ensure that you recover quickly from each and every run.
1. Refuel and Rehydrate.
It is important to understand that carb-rich beverages such as Gatorade are great for hydrating duringan event, but that plain old H2O is actually better post-run. Similarly, balancing carbs and protein actually leads to better recovery than just loading up on protein alone ever could.
2. Warm Up and Cool Down.
It can be tempting to neglect these steps, but they are crucial to facilitating a healthy run and a rapid recovery. Nowadays, most experts recommend dynamic warm-ups (such as jogging in place) and static cooldowns (such as stretching).
3. Invest in Cool Kicks.
Your shoes affect not only your feet, but also your posture -- which, in turn, affects your legs, back, and even your neck. The bottom line? Don’t skimp on running shoes!
4. Heat Up and/or Chill Out.
Applying either heat or ice after a long run can help reduce inflammation, thus allowing your body to heal more effectively, and with a lot less soreness.
5. Stay Active.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, maintaining light physical activity can actually help aid a faster recovery by keeping the muscles loose.
6. Use Compression Gear.
Compression gear helps by increasing the blood flow to muscles, reducing the risk of strains, and helping athletes feel more comfortable during competition. Click here to learn more about the benefits of compression sleeves for runners!
