Whether you’re training for your first 10k or tackling a marathon for charity, what you do after your run matters just as much as the miles themselves. Effective running recovery isn’t about putting your feet up and forgetting the work; it’s about actively helping your body rebuild, restore, and come back stronger.
From reducing muscle soreness to supporting your mental wellbeing, recovery plays a crucial role in sustainable progress. So if you’re wondering how to recover after a run or looking to level up your post-run recovery routine, you’re in the right place.
We’ve teamed up with our official training partner Runna to bring you expert tips on how to optimise your recovery and keep moving towards your goal, whether that’s crossing the finish line, raising money for a cause close to your heart, or simply becoming a stronger, more consistent runner.
There is no secret to knowing the importance of sleep in relation to recovery. Rest is an essential part of helping your body repair and restore its body battery, aka the nervous system.
It is important that you aim to get 8 hours of sleep per night - this needs to be a consistent lifestyle habit in order to reap the benefits. If you are struggling to sleep, try eating dinner a little earlier, limiting your screen time before bed, and making sure you listen to your body when you need more than 8 hours.
Protein has been proven to speed up recovery by helping repair the small muscle tears and easing soreness. The suggested serving is 1.6-2g per kg of body weight daily. When you increase your intensity, it is vital to ensure that your protein intake is higher to allow the body to repair itself. If you struggle to get the recommended serving in, adding a protein shake daily is an easy hack.
Read Runna’s full guide on day-to-day nutrition for runners
Hydration is not only important for recovery, but it is essential to allow your body to carry out its daily functions. A human's body is composed mostly of water, so it is essential to stay hydrated and to maintain the balance of electrolytes, wash out toxins, transport nutrients to the cells, and help regulate body temperature.
On a regular basis, it is recommended that you consume approximately 2-3L of water per day. When exercising, this needs to be increased to take into account fluid loss through sweat. It is also vital that you hydrate throughout training and after, and remember that everyone's requirements are different.
If you find yourself not recovering properly, this could be down to you not completing your warm-ups and cool downs effectively, therefore leading to an increased risk of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). If you need ideas, head to Runna’s tutorials here. You can also take advantage of the mobility offering by adding it to your Runna plan when you sign up, or simply following along on Runna’s YouTube channel.
Adding strength training to your weekly running routine will be a game-changer. As your strength improves, you will find that your legs will not fatigue as quickly, due to being better able to withstand the load that comes from running.
Read Runna’s deep dive into strength training for runners
Rest days are crucial in your recovery journey. Rest days allow your body to repair and recover, allowing the adaptations from your training to occur. It is important that you listen to your body and don't overdo it when your legs are tired.
Be prepared to move your sessions around - there is no shame in this. If you find that your legs are always fatigued and sore from running, we would advise that you look at decreasing the number of days you train, or dropping your ability level, and thus overall weekly mileage.
By this, we mean things such as salt baths, ice baths, massage guns, anti-inflammatory balm, foam rolling, and compression tights. None of these will dramatically change your recovery overnight; however, if you consistently practice recovery and stack these 1%’s, it will eventually build up to a quicker recovery.
Your running recovery routine is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s the secret weapon that keeps you training, racing, and fundraising at your best.
Ready to put that recovery knowledge into practice? Head to our events page to find your next charity race, or kick off your personalised training journey with Runna today. As our official training partner, they’ll give you two weeks free to get started, because building better runners starts with the right plan and the right recovery.