5 Ways to Recover Faster

As a runner, I am constantly looking for ways to decrease the necessity for rest while increasing my ability to recover. Part of the reason is that I don’t want to be sore all of the time, and finding the correct training and recovery balance is important for that. The other part of the equation is that I want to recover faster so that my body can take more pain…which means I have more time to train.

I don’t like rest days…I hate them. I’m born to run and any day spent without some sort of physical activity is one in which I just don’t feel as accomplished as the days before. Sure, you could say that running might be an unhealthy addiction, but compared to other self-medications, like booze or drugs, I’m OK with my running habit.

So with that being said, I’d like to discuss 5 ways that I’ve been able to train my body to recover faster.

• Ice baths – Most people refuse to try ice in any form. Yeah yeah…it is pretty darn cold, but once you get used to the routine you stop hating it so much. Ice packs work OK, but a cold ice bath is one of the most effective ways to reduce inflammation and speed up recovery. The trick with an ice bath is not to get the temperature to near freezing and in fact many times you don’t even need ice to reach the right temperature. Let the water run and slowly add ice until the water gets into the 40′s or low 50′s, which is plenty cold enough to reduce your core temperature and start the healing process. The first time might be tough, but you’ll get used to the feeling very quickly. After 10 seconds, you’ll be in recovery heaven.
• Amino acids – Amino acids are the building blocks for protein, which means that your muscles need them in order to repair and rebuild. There are a few great amino supplements on the market, but any is better than none. The great thing about amino supplements is that they are fed directly to your starving muscles, which speeds recovery and will ensure that you get the most benefit from your training.
• Recovery drink – A good recovery drink taken post-race or post-workout can help you improve recovery by leaps and bounds. Immediately after a workout, prepare a mixture of 1/4 protein and 3/4 carbohydrates. The protein will work to repair your muscles while the carbohydrates will help to restore what you lost during your workout. Your body can then focus on recovery rather than digging for energy sources.
• NSAID’s – Motrin, Naproxin, and the rest of the NSAID crew can help to reduce inflammation, which will help your body rebuild at a quicker pace. The trick with these is not to become dependant and only use them when you need to. Natural methods are better, but when left without options or when in considerable pain, 400 mg of Motrin can do the trick.
• Stretching – This is the lost art…most people don’t like to stretch, but it must be done. Post-workout stretching is just as important as pre-workout stretching is. When you stretch after a workout, you’ll keep your muscles from contracting and tightening up, which will help conserve energy and allow your body to feed essential nutrients to your recovering muscles. It will also increase blood flow, which helps oxygenate your legs and prevent more serious conditions.

Runners need to spend as much time thinking about recovery as they do about training. It might not be as sexy, but ensuring a speedy recovery will help you to reap as much benefit as possible from your workouts. After all, what’s the point of training if your body cannot take advantage of it?