I see people posting that they went for a recovery run quite often and wondered if people actually understand what the term means or whether there are as I suspect quite different understandings of the term out there? Note: I am probably no wiser than anyone else, so just seeking consensus really or to hear others views.
So here's my understanding and I wonder what others think?
Firstly there are some myths that slow running after having done a hard(be it fast/race or long) run within the preceding 24-48 hours helps muscles "recover" some lost form by either clearing lactic acid, promoting tissue repair or restoring glycogen stores. The truth is however that lactic acid clears within an hour of even the hardest of runs and there is no evidence to support the idea that it helps tissue repair.
But why then do all the pro runners have recovery runs? Simply we develop endurance or slow twitch muscle fibre after we have gone through a long period of prior running to achieve a fatigue state, hence within 48 hrs of having a hard run we are in an ideal fatigued state that our running from the outset rather than just at the end will help us achieve this endurance building muscle gain. Our brains are programmed to avoid the energy depleted faster twitch muscle fibres and will co-opt fresher slow twitch fibres, these neuromuscular shortcuts that develop are said to enable us to run faster and more efficiently in the future. At least that's my understanding of the science and it may not change your run following a hard run/race one jot, but if you do it within 48hrs you may get some gain.. any longer and you should probably just call it a run
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pinkaardvark
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Much simpler for me, now we apparently have to run 3 times a week (?) - a recovery run is any run without some specific objective that follows one where I was trying to achieve something - so usually the one after a Parkrun.
There are EASY runs, long runs and RECOVERY runs. All are slow pace but recovery runs are especially slow. As a 35 minute 5K runner ( I have slowed up recently ) , my easy pace is around 08:30 mins per K , long run pace around 9 mins per K and recovery pace around 10 mins per k. Seeing as how my brisk walking pace is 11 mins per k , a recovery pace of 10 mins is barely jogging!!! BUT - a lot of the stuff on the Internet re run training relates to people of a higher calibre than me and I don't believe I would ever need to do a recovery run. A normal running week for me would be a hard day ( usually parkrun) and a long day with 2 easy days and 3 days of no running. I could possibly go for a short and very slow recovery run on the normal rest day after parkrun, but really my parkruns are not all that "hard" I believe that recovery runs are more the province of 7 days per week competitive runners - who would probably do 2 hard days and one long day and 4 easy days of running ( if the hard or long days were especially hard they would probably "recover" on the next day with a recovery run - but only if they especially thought that they needed it. )
Wow, pinkaardvark you've certainly been doing your homework, and to be honest I didn't really know what a recovery run is. (In my book it was when I'm doing fartleks, after a fast burst of running I needed a slow jog to recover, but I guess this is a totally different thing). Thanks for the information. Does this mean that after my half marathon in October (if I make it that far) I'm going to have to go out within 2 days and run again. My training plan has me resting for the best part of the week and only doing gym work. 🤔
Only if you want to improve your running, as you would do when training for a marathon. I got up to 24k trying to follow the 5 day marathon plan and it wasn't fun having to do 13k the day after lol. Good luck with the HM.. You are amazingly speedy Raz 👌
I followed the application and logic of the 3day regime and guidance rules.
Doing my own thing now and I think it’s because of my very slow run all day pace that it lets me get away with it.
Do not know what it is doing to me in your description,
it lets me run each day,I am stronger and that is without the gym, 10K ready,weight loss moving again toward modest targets having been fairly static and with no muscle loss,I feel alive, although to some boring and a pain about running 🙈😂,it’s early days but it appears to be sustainable.
Present 3 weeks, 42k, 49k, 56k, followed by a 22k reset week, as a baseload for a month/4 weeks.
Thanks for posting this Mike, sorry gone off on one, shuffling along making it up and looking for the answers.
Well funny you posted this pinkaardvark because I was meaning to look up exactly what a 'recovery' run was early in the week, when I went on a 5k having done a 10 miler on Sunday. In the past I would normally take an extra rest day after a long run like this but because of fitting in with life plans I ran 48 hours later - and my legs seemed quite happy with this! Having read your explanation it was probably the right thing to do(!) ...now I know why. Thank you!🙂
I am running the day after a long run. A 5k after a 24k run for example. It’s on my plan so I’ve been doing it without thinking about it. I notice I have a run to do the day after my marathon, a slow 5k
I’ve been fine with it. My legs often feel jittery after a long run, particularly in bed afterwards, so a short run the day afterwards seems to help shake them out
Interesting food for thought. I was aware you should do an easier run after a long run but not about the development of slow twitch fibre muscle if doing so within 48 hours.
I always leave two days after my longer Saturday runs so I’m definitely not doing recovery runs right now but good to be aware of the concept.
No, I'm not being clear. It shouldn't be easy, in fact it may well feel worse. It is just a run where you are developing endurance because your are already fatigued. The name recovery run is the real issue.
I'm guessing you don't need to be tempo or pace running. Reading that link that old floss posted you seemingly need only concern yourself with recovery running when doing 4+ runs a week.
My ( apparently misnamed) “recovery runs” have simply been doing what the dr said after an injury- so truly “recovery”??! 🤔 - 5 min intervals on mostly flat, soft ground & cautiously building up while listening carefully to what my knee is saying! 😃 I am pleased to report, (5 weeks on), that it is mostly polite & managed a slow continuous 25 mins yesterday. 😀
I've never done so called recovery runs. i see how i feel when i go out. I suspect my run tomorrow, following on the Blenheim 10k, will be shorter but who knows. i generally find my body knows what it can and can't do and I usually need to rest after the longer runs and be more laid back - but then i'm no longer in the first four decades of my life.
Apparently recovery runs are only something you need when doing more than 3 runs a week. You sometimes see this sort of shorter run the day after a long run or pace run in some marathon training programs etc.
I'm not in the first 4 decades of my life either, what ya trying to say
I run three to five times a week. Haha I wasn’t relating it to you, just a general statement. It takes me longer to recover than it did when I was in my 20s 30s or even 40s, though it’s improving all the time 😊
I guess that was my original point, recovery runs are nothing to do with recovery they are all about running in a pre-fatigued state in order to improve your physical performance, in the same way you have to run intervals or fartleks to improve speed. If you want to improve endurance it's best done when muscles are spent.
I guess it's a bit like lifting weights where you keep lifting until all the motor units are used to reach the point of near failure. That is when you body is forced to send signals to grow muscles mass when repairing damage.
That makes a lot of sense to me! Never really understood that idea of recovery and assumed something about circulation of nutrients for muscle repair. But after last Tuesday’s long run, I had legs of lead on Thursday’s short run; almost starting off where the long run finished. Then I just got even slower. So glad it wasn’t longer than 4K 😆😫
I use the term loosely to describe a run/walk/ride after an unusual event that has done me in. Could be a tough race, migraine or other illness.
Funnily enough, I was only having a conversation about slow and fast twitch muscle fibres with my son last week. He is doing PE GCSE and was moaning about having to do running instead of normal football training as it was the wrong type of exercise. I don't think one session will do too much harm given how unfit some of his team are!
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) , my easy pace is around 08:30 mins per K , long run pace around 9 mins per K and recovery pace around 10 mins per k. Seeing as how my brisk walking pace is 11 mins per k , a recovery pace of 10 mins is barely jogging!!! BUT - a lot of the stuff on the Internet re run training relates to people of a higher calibre than me and I don't believe I would ever need to do a recovery run. A normal running week for me would be a hard day ( usually parkrun) and a long day with 2 easy days and 3 days of no running. I could possibly go for a short and very slow recovery run on the normal rest day after parkrun, but really my parkruns are not all that "hard" 
Running partner no more
Phew, that was a bit speedy for an old girl!
Tips needed for slow running
A run, and different 10k plan philosophies
