Have you ever tried to exercise without giving your body ample time to recover between workouts? If yes, you’ll know that rest and recovery are key to maintaining healthy habits. Vhi Physiotherapist, Eoghan Slattery, explains what you can do to best support recovery in those all-important 90 minutes after a race or run. 

What are the most important recovery steps after finishing a race or run?

We can break this down into two phases: the first 10 minutes after the activity, and the 30-90 minutes after the activity. 

Within 10 minutes of finishing activity

• Be sure you don't let yourself get too cold: This might sound counter-intuitive when you’re sweating from exercise, but our core body temperature can drop in response to exertion and pushing ourselves. It’s easy to not notice that you feel cold once you stop moving ─ especially with the buzz around the finish line! It’s a good idea to plan ahead and have a spare change of clothes or a hoodie or jacket to put on as soon as you finish. 
• Rehydrate: Unsurprisingly, hydration is vital. Races will often have water stops available along the course, so take advantage of these. If you’re more of a seasoned runner, you’ll know when and how much water you need over a distance. But, if you’re newer to running, it’s safer to err on the side of caution and have a little bit of water during the race when you can. The same goes for when you cross the finish line ─ have some water as soon as you can. Bottled water has most of the minerals we need, but something with electrolytes (natural salts our bodies need, which are lost in our sweat) added in is great for warmer days. 

Top tip: Sugar is a fast-acting energy source, so adding some fruit squash to your water is a good option.

30 – 90 minutes after activity

• Refuel with carbohydrates: Within 30-90 minutes, ideally, you’ll have a substantial meal. When running, you expend quite a bit of energy, even for shorter distances. To refuel after this energy loss, you want to rebuild your body’s glycogen stores (extra energy stored from food for when you need it). Carbohydrates are essential for this. You don’t need to be too concerned about the types of carbs, and you don’t need a mountain of them! But having a good helping of pasta, rice or potato, for instance, is a great place to start. Fibre is naturally in most carbohydrates, and this is great for supporting digestion after a run. 
• Refuel with protein: During exercise, we cause some damage to our muscle tissue and the tissue around our joints. Protein provides the amino acids (molecules) needed to repair this damage, while also building strength. Again, don’t stress about how much you consume ─ just ensure you’re not under consuming (20g or less would be too little).
  • As for the type of protein, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, lentils, beans and nuts are all great sources. 

Top tip: Bananas are a great source of fast-acting sugar and fibre, so they will help with energy and avoiding constipation or digestive issues after a run. 

Is a cooldown necessary after a run?

In short, yes! It can feel like the last thing you want to do after a race or run, but even five or ten minutes of a slow-paced jog or a walk will enhance your recovery. Moving your muscles at a slower rate post-race is going to help them during recovery in the coming days. The other thing a cooldown will do is comfortably bring your heart rate back down. It avoids a more sudden drop, helping your body reduce it down to where it naturally is at rest. Combine some quick stretches with your cooldown, for the main muscles you use during a run ─ calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes. Ten minutes total between your cooldown jog and your stretches is plenty. If something is niggling longer than you’d expect after a race, visit your healthcare provider for a check-up and some peace of mind. 

This content is for information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from your GP or an appropriate medical professional if you have concerns about your health, or before commencing a new healthcare regime. If you believe that you are experiencing a medical emergency call 999 / 112 or seek emergency assistance immediately.