Recovery Runs...how can THEY work??

[CaroleC]

Here is a run down on recovery runs...

running4women.com/what-is-a...

This is something I find hard to do; it's ingrained in me to work harder than this when I'm out, but I have to pay attention! A recovery run is just that; a run to help your hard working legs recover from the long run that you did either the day before or, having given your legs a day off, two days after.

This isn't for those who are still working up to their 30 mins non stop where all runs should be at your own pace anyway; but it is for those of us who have progressed and are doing one long run, and at least two other runs in the week.

So, after 8 miles yesterday, and even with stretching out for long minutes after, my old bones were feeling it today, so tomorrow, after work I'll be out there trying to take it easier, cutting back on the pace, trying to ignore my Garmin (can I bear to leave it behind! How will I know how long I've run or how far, I can feel panic setting in right now!!!)

"It has to be a fully conversational pace at all times. No part of the conversation should be strained or difficult and you certainly should never feel out of breath. In reality you are re introducing oxygenated blood full of nutrients into the system, loosening out tight muscles and flushing away toxins from previous harder days. It’s almost a massage on the move." Ok, that quote is straight from the running4women site, and I'm going to try to stick to it, but unless as a lone runner I actually start jabbering to myself (it's ok, this is Cornwall; I won't get any strange looks!!) it's going to be difficult to know if my pace is conversational; maybe I'll try singing along to the mp3 player instead!!

[shelleymcb Graduate]

singing & running ! !

Ive only just mastered drinking & running

will have to have a read of this.

X

[Caz9 Graduate]

Why not get hubby to cycle along side you and he can set a conversational pace for you?

I know what you mean about trying to slow your pace down. I went for a 'longer' run this morning (7k), and thought I'm going to take this easy. At the end of the run I felt like I could have gone on and when I looked at my Garmin my pace was one of the fastest I've done Was it the wind that helped me or the downhill sections? Wasn't intentional - promise..... It was supposed to be a slow run!!!!