mohsrunning

If you’ve noticed that you’re not bouncing back as quickly as you believe you should after a run then you may want to take a look at your post-run activities to make sure you’re doing everything possible to lead to a quick recover and stay as injury-free as possible.First, and most important, as soon as you cross that finish line (real or imagined) get hydrated. You should immediately drink a minimum of eight ounces (and as much as 16 ounces) of a sports-type drink that is packed with electrolytes and minerals that you lost in sweat during the run.Next, get out of your sweaty clothes. Your body needs to start cooling down as quickly as possible after the run and staying in wet clothes hampers this from happening. You must help your body get back to its task of regulating temperature, and dry clothes are crucial.About 15 to 20 minutes after you’ve finished your run you should be ingesting a mixture of carbs and protein to help recharge your body’s muscle recovery and prevent injury.As soon as possible thereafter hit the shower (or soak in the tub) since warm (not hot) water will not only help your nervous system to start relaxing but it will help realign your body temperature in a gradual and gentle manner.After the warm water take time to perform a few of your favorite stretches. This will recharge your circulation which will in turn assist in recovery overall.By now you’ll probably be feeling pretty good about your run, about how your muscles are responding to the stretching, and about how you are just generally “calming down” overall. Now’s the time to refuel your system with another round of carbs and protein since your body is still at a bit of a deficit.Now, take a nap. Yep, you read that right. Relax with a book to fall asleep or just pull the blinds and listen to your breathing until you fall asleep. Your body needs this total relaxation to calm the heart rate, promote circulation, and let your body do its magic.When you wake up from your nap, take it easy for the rest of the day and listen to your body’s needs.If you want to reduce the chance of muscle ache in the morning, hop back in the bath, but this time you should soak in cool or cold water to help muscles recover (the hot bath earlier was to relax the nervous system and regulate your body temperature).