Knowing how to recover after a long run can be the difference between smashing goals or feeling battered – but with a MOJU-approved recovery strategy, we’ll soon have you powering up that performance like a total pro.
Why is recovery so important after a long run?
‘Long run’ can mean a lot of different things to different people. Sure, we could be talking triathlon training, marathon milage or giving Sir Mo a run for his money. It could also be finally reaching 5k without feeling the need to call an ambulance. But whatever your long run looks like: just like reaching for your daily shot, thinking about what to do after that long run is the kind of good habit you want to get into your routine.
Why? Well, rest and recovery is what your body needs to get better. As you cool down, your body’s firing itself up to replenish energy stores and repair tissues. It’s by building that recovery time into any kind of training programme you’ll be adapting to the stress of the exercise – which means you’ll start noticing progress and seeing results. And the best way to do that? Getting your own post run recovery process all planned and ready to go.
How long does it take to recover from a long run?
Well, according to Ross Austen, a nutrition specialist, it all comes down to what goal you’re chasing.
“When developing a recovery strategy, it is always important to keep the main goal in mind: Is it being able to perform again several hours later, or are the main goals further away? In competitions with several rounds and only a few hours or days between rounds, you would want to optimise all short-term recovery strategies. At the beginning of a season in preparation for competition, acute recovery is not always the highest priority, so it may be better to choose a strategy that enhances the adaptation to training.”
What should I drink after a long run?
Hydration is key. During exercise, dehydration that exceeds a 2% loss in body mass can start to have an impact on both aerobic capacity and cognitive function. Basically, if you sweat your butt off with a tough long run and don’t rebalance your fluids, you may find that you start to seriously flag. Dehydration can also play a major part in lactic acid build-up… aka, the stuff your muscles produce during exercise that can give you soreness and cramps.
Rehydration is an essential part of your post-run routine, but it’s not a case of chugging back gallons of water which will just have you running straight to the toilet. Instead, drinking water and sodium at a modest rate will help to replenish and retain fluids, especially the extracellular kind. It’ll also flush your body of that lactic acid to help give soreness a swerve.
How can I reduce muscle soreness after a long run?
When it comes to drinking for muscle recovery after a long run… water’s great, but MOJU Turmeric Shots are your real mate. The active all-natural compounds found in this legendary root – curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin, all blended with black pepper for better absorption – could provide anti-inflammatory properties that can help stave off those dreaded DOMS.
We wanted to put our shots to the test, and recruited the Munster Rugby squad to help. Hitting the Turmeric Shots regularly after training sessions, we used the drop jump test as a performance measure of recovery rates. Our findings showed that rates improved over the course of the season: so, it looks like our spicy post run recovery routine gets a healthy thumbs up, eh?
What should I eat after a long run?
As we mentioned earlier, protein and carbohydrates are a great way to fuel your recovery after running. Your muscles don’t just work hard on that long run – they’re being broken down… and protein is key for building them up again. Complex carbs are essential for re-fuelling glycogen stores that have been emptied on long runs. Pushing your body through a long run can affect your blood sugar by putting it into a high gear for several hours after, causing blood sugar levels to lower even when you’ve stopped training.
Need a few simple ideas for a nutritious post-run pick-me-up? Try: yogurt and fruit, bananas, protein shakes, bagels with protein, cottage cheese, chocolate milk, eggs on toast, mixed nuts, whole grains, nut butters, sweet potato hash, legumes.