Why Are Recovery Runs Important?

A common mistake made by those new to marathon training is believing that each run should be difficult. It's not true.

Your hard training should be supplemented by easy recovery runs to maintain a consistent, effective training block. Find out why by reading on.

What do we know?

Recovery running (i.e much slower than usual) is an important training method that has been shown to improve your aerobic energy system and is also a vital element in physiology for achieving your best performance during a marathon.

Research has demonstrated that those who participate in slow running can improve their oxygen capacity by 1%, and it is said that elite runners spend the majority of their training in 'zone 2' - a pace that allows them to hold a conversation.

Heading out for a recovery run helps increase blood flow and vascular connections this forms new capillaries which bring more blood to the working tissues.

This increased and improved blood flow supplies your damaged muscles with fresh blood and oxygen. This increased blood flow also shuttles waste products from the muscles to the kidneys. This improved circulation results in faster recovery times and reduced soreness.

You should also allow your body enough time to recover from intense training, I understand that most runners have a knee-jerk reaction to always run at a high intensity.

However, a slower pace will allow the body to adapt. When your body has to fight to recover from intense exercise, it doesn't have time to fully recuperate, which can hinder muscle growth and cardiac Hypertrophy (increased strength of the heart muscle).

Training Volume

The importance of aerobic development in marathon training makes the volume of training one of the most crucial characteristics.

Your total volume of training will be lower if you don't do some easy recovery runs in between intense workouts. If each run is at or near race pace you'll be running less overall.

This is because your body can't handle high volumes at high intensities and will fail to adapt and become stronger. The better aerobic base you have (achieved from slower, longer runs), the better your capacity to run faster and longer.

Psychological benefits

Running for recovery can be good for the mind. Let your mind take a break and enjoy the endorphins you get from completing those miles.

You can use the miles to de-stress and relax during difficult training cycles, which will help prevent mental burnout. Remember that not all runs have to be a PB, and just getting outside to plod along enjoying the environment can take the pressure off.

Whilst Strava is an excellent platform, I often think that it pushes people to run fast all of the time and too often to impress their peers.

Easy runs are also great for friends to do together since they are easy and comfortable for all. Grab your running partner and enjoy it.

When should you do your recovery run?

The day following a tough training session is the best time to complete a recovery run.

This will increase blood flow to tired muscles and oxygenate them, which will promote recovery.

Recovery runs can also be used to kick-start a new training block in the "build phase". In the early weeks of training when the body is not ready for intense sessions, it is best to begin with a gentle training program.

What pace should you run at?

Always perform recovery runs at a relaxed pace. This run is to just get the blood flowing, and help prevent stiffness.

You should not feel out of breath and be able to maintain conversation without any difficulty. You may even need to wear an extra layer compared to your normal faster runs.

Reduce your pace if you are breaking into a cold sweat or feeling breathless. Monitor your heart rate to determine if your pace is slow enough. You should be running at 70-75% of your maximum heart rate.

When should you fuel your recovery runs?

Your fuelling plan will depend on the length of your recovery runs. Before exercising, increase your carbohydrate intake to provide more glucose to the working muscles.

This glucose is converted into muscle glycogen, which can be used for energy. Recovery runs are a good opportunity to experiment with different fueling formats.

These include alternatives to gels and drink mixes that would normally be consumed during training sessions for longer and more intense sessions.

You may wish to try eating something like a flapjack or sweets when you are running to see whether it is comfortable or causes bloating.

Furthermore, you could experiment with different clothing such as socks, underwear or running shoes. This will prevent any mishaps or issues that you would rather not tackle during a faster run.

Are there any supplements to enhance recovery?

Always ensure that you are consuming enough protein and carbohydrates to support muscle recovery, it is important to maintain a high level of hydration.

Our beForm Nutrition range will also help.

If you are suffering from joint pain, particularly runner's knee, beFlex has been specially formulated to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Many people also benefit from using beFit Performance Plus+ which is developed using science-proven ingredients to improve immunity, reduce inflammation, increase red blood cell count, and reduce muscle degradation.

Conclusion

You now know the scientific reasons behind running slow for recovery runs.

A recovery run can help reduce pressure, race pace anxiety, improve blood circulation and muscle repair to reduce pain and stiffness.