Recovery Archives - Endurance Athletics

Posted on February 23, 2021February 23, 2021 by Morgan Ringel

Tapering: How to go into race day fully recharged

We are in the final stretch of winter, friends. And that means we’re nearly into race season. So there’s no better topic to wrap up our recovery series than one so essential before a race – tapering.

Tapering is a part of your training plan that’s done in the final buildup to race day. This period of time allows your body to heal and enter the race at your very best.

A woman sits on top of a hill wearing athletic wear, headphones, and holding a water bottle. She's looking out over the scenic mountains as she rests. — Backing down on the length and intensity of your training for one to three weeks before a race gives your body the time it needs to recharge.

This post is going to explain what tapering is, why it works, and what to do with your extra time. And if you’re amped up for race season, I’ll include information at the end about Endurance Athletics’ first 5k of 2021, as well as what topic we’ll be shifting to next.

What is tapering?

At the tail end of your training plan leading up to race day is a length of time called the taper. The idea is to significantly scale back training to let your body heal.

Tapering allows you to take all of your training and convert it into results. The goal is to go into race day 100% charged up and ready to explode.

A woman jogs toward a group of people clapping for her along a boardwalk with others walking and riding bikes in the background. Tapering lets you go into race day totally recharged. — Tapering is an excellent way to go into a race refreshed and ready to hit that new personal record.

How long to taper depends on your training plan and the race event. The short answer is one to three weeks. A rule of thumb: the more intense the event and training, the longer the taper. Someone running a 5K will be fine with one week, but someone heading into an Ironman would do well with a full three weeks.

For a deep dive reading, check out this article by MayoClinic on designing your taper to maximize your potential.

Take advantage of the extra time while tapering.

With a greatly scaled back exercise schedule, you should feel like you have a lot of extra time. So don’t waste it. Channel that time into supporting your race effort.

Although it’s a time to recover, these aren’t complete rest days. You should be focusing on recovery, staying active, and dialing in your nutrition plan. Keep your body flexible with stretching or yoga.

A woman in a sports bra and shorts sits cross legged on a yoga mat, stretching her back in a twist. Stretching and yoga are great ways to keep your body flexible while tapering. — Stretching while tapering is a great way to keep your body flexible, agile, and ready for race day without putting it through any more strain of hard training.

There should also be some light training during taper to keep your body working. (Think Zone 2 work, for those who remember our post on training within your own heart rate zones).

Get excited for that race.

Tapering is the culmination of weeks or months or training. It deserves just as much (if not more) respect than the entire buildup to this point.

Take it seriously. And enjoy it.

A group of 15 runners jogs along a trail through a park during Endurance Athletics' charity 5K last year. Tapering is a culmination of weeks of hard work and runners should enjoy it. — Runners take off from the starting line at Endurance Athletic’s 2020 charity 5K for C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital. Tapering and the race day itself is a culmination of weeks of hard work. Enjoy it!

For those ready to sign up for their own race day, Endurance Athletics is co-hosting a 5K in early April. Click here for more information on the Fools for Fitness 5K, including who this charity walk/run will benefit.

A wrap on recovery and what’s up next

We’ve reached the end of our first Recovery series. We’ve covered stretching, injuries, foam rolling, and more. Please let me know if we missed something by leaving a comment below.

I hope by now you have a few more recovery tools in your athletic toolbox, and are viewing recovery as a mindset – one that’s critical for athletes.

After all (as we’ve said before), a healthy runner is a happy runner.

Up next I’m shifting focus from physical health to mental health, because both are important in our athletic journeys and all of life. That’s why Endurance Athletics celebrates a Strong Mind, too.

So, how do you build a Strong Mind? We’ll look at some examples like letting go of negative beliefs, eliminating self-sabotage, optimizing time and instilling good habits. So stay tuned and subscribe for the latest updates.

Posted on February 11, 2021February 11, 2021 by Morgan Ringel

Why your training plan might need recovery weeks

Everyone needs days to recover, but some runners can enhance their training plans exponentially by adding recovery weeks.

Runners who will benefit most from this technique include high-intensity runners or those trying to increase base mileage (the number of miles you run in a week).

A woman walks along a paved trail with foliage on either side, resting her hands on top of her head as the sun sets. Recovery weeks help runners avoid injury and improve performance. — Taking time for proper recovery will help you avoid injury and improve performance.

This post looks at what recover weeks are, why you might need them, and when to opt for individual recovery runs instead.

What is a recovery week?

A recovery week is a full week out of your training plan where you reduce your weekly mileage. They are typically laced into a plan between 2-4 weeks of increased mileage (build weeks).

A woman jogs along a path as the sun sets behind her. — Moderate- to high-intensity runners can get by with one recovery week per month to optimize performance.

The recovery week breaks up the build weeks and lets your body adjust to the increased mileage. They are usually seen in plans geared to longer duration or base building.

You should reduce mileage by 20%-30% during recovery weeks.

Here’s an example training plan:

Week 1 – Build: 45 miles
Week 2 – Build: 47 miles
Week 3 – Build: 51 miles
Week 4 – Recovery: 25 miles
Week 5 – Build: 51 miles
Week 6 – Build: 53 miles
Week 7 – Recovery: 30 miles

Should you add recovery weeks to your training plan?

There are a couple of reasons you should consider penciling these into your plan.

We accumulate stress over time – physically and mentally and both affect your running. If you push hard with high-intensity effort or long distances week after week, your body will face consequences. Add a recovery week to help deal with the slowly accumulated stress.

A man in a red jacket and black runners pants jogs along a trail. Reducing miles and/or speed for a whole week allow your body to bounce back from accumulated stress. — Reducing miles and/or speed for a whole week allow your body to bounce back from accumulated stress.

Recovery weeks are also great for conquering plateaus. If you’re struggling to increase base mileage and keep hitting stalls, schedule in a recovery week. That way you can dive into your build weeks fully refreshed.

Recovery weeks versus recovery runs

Some people aren’t high-intesnity runners and there’s nothing wrong with that! If your goal is maintenance or your journey follows a lower-intensity training plan, then you don’t have to budget in full weeks for recovery.

However it’s so important to still give yourself recovery days during your week where you can stay active but reduce your average miles.

A man jogs along a roadway wearing black track pants and a blue and black rain jacket. — Recovery runs are individual runs with reduced mileage. That way you’re still getting miles in but not pushing your body too hard.

For a moderate-intensity training plan, try to schedule 2-3 recovery runs within a two-week block. These should be in addition to total rest days when you don’t run at all. You can still opt for stretching, yoga, or weight lifting on total recovery days.

What’s up Next?

If you’ve been following the recovery series, you should now have a toolbox of tips to enhance your running journey. However, we have one more essential to offer: tapering.

Tapering is essential before a race. And since we’re entering race season, there’s no better time to discuss it. In fact, Endurance Athletics is hosting its first 2021 5k in April, so prepare to taper the end of March.

Click here for details on the race. And be sure to subscribe to keep up on our latest posts.

Posted on January 28, 2021January 28, 2021 by Morgan Ringel

How to speed up recovery after an injury with four simple tricks: R.I.C.E.

Nearly every runner has an injury at some point. Some are serious and require a doctor’s opinion, but many amount to mild pain that can be drastically improved with four simple recovery techniques – RICE.

This acronym stands for: Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. And they can help alleviate a lot of pain and speed recovery after injury.

We’ll provide an overview on each recovery method, and then discuss when’s the time to call the doctor.

Rest the injury to aid recovery

This step refers to resting the injured area. Provide your body the time it needs to heal. It likely won’t happen overnight (which can infuriate us go-getters) but respect the process.

A woman lies on a couch with a small table in front of her, on which is a colorful floral-print water bottle. Rest is essential for recovery after an injury. — Rest allows your body to reset and heal. If you’re itching for improvement, this doesn’t have to be total downtime. Focus instead on another area of health: hydration, meal prepping, meditation, or light stretching.

Trying to rush back in too early can have major consequences. Small injuries can become severe and require much more time off.

If the injury is in your lower body, try switching to upper body strength training until the injury can heal. Or skip a workout and opt for light stretching. You can also use this time to focus on mental growth by trying out meditation or journaling.

Ice the area to help with the pain

Icing the injured area provides immediate relief by temporarily numbing the pain. But it also can help with the longterm healing process because it reduces swelling and inflammation, which allows the area to heal more easily.

A man holds a towel around his knee with one hand and a bag of ice cubes against it with the other. — Ice can drastically improve recovery after an injury, but be safe. Always use fabric as a buffer between your skin and the ice, and never leave ice on longer than 20 minutes.

Never apply ice or an ice pack directly to the skin as direct exposure can cause frostbite. Instead, use a damp washcloth to create a safe barrier between your skin and the ice.

Try icing the area for 20 minutes every four hours for the first 48 hours. Icing longer than 20 minutes at a time can result in additional tissue damage.

Compression to reduce soreness

Use an ace bandage or something similar to wrap the area. This stabilizes the area during recovery, and the constant pressure should help reduce muscle soreness.

A woman binds her knee with a wrapping bandage. Compression can greatly improve recovery after an injury. — An ace bandage or similar wrap can help stabilize an injured area and reduce soreness.

The wrap should be snug to help keep swelling down, but not too tight that it impairs circulation. Loosen the wrap if you feel numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, or swelling around the bandage.

Wear the wrap for one week, removing regularly to examine and clean the area.

Elevation to reduce swelling

Elevate the injured area above your heart to let gravity help the healing process. This works by drawing fluids away from the injury, which helps to curb swelling and bruising.

A boy lays on a couch with his foot in a cast propped up on top of pillows. — By using pillows to prop up the injured area, you’ll be enlisting gravity in your recovery plan. Ensure the area is properly supported and above the level of your heart.

The best way to do this is by sitting or laying down with pillows stacked beneath the injured area. Don’t use your muscles to hold up the injured area since the goal is to relax the muscles during healing.

Elevate for 2-3 hours a day.

When you need a doctor for recovery after an injury

We do not recommend these practices over seeking medical advice. There are many situations that demand additional help for proper recovery after injury, which must be prescribed from a licensed professional.

A female doctor wraps the elbow of a man who is grimacing in pain. Sometimes a doctor's opinion is required for recovery after an injury. — While R.I.C.E. is a great addition to any recovery process, there can be dramatic consequences for delaying further medical help when an injury requires it. If you have concerns, call your doctor.

Call your doctor if:

The injury is clearly significant
Pain is sharp and severe
Pain is accompanied by severe swelling, tingling, or numbness
The injury doesn’t improve in 24-48 hours
The pain returns after resting several days

When in doubt, just call. A minor injury can quickly turn major if left undiagnosed.

As bad as you’d like to return to normal, remember that a couple weeks of bedrest is better than a couple months or a whole season. Seek the help you need.

For more information on recovery after injury, check out this MayoClinic article on how to prevent overuse injuries.

What’s up next?

Our recovery series continues with a look at scheduled recovery days and recovery weeks. If you’re new to the site or missed the last posts, be sure to check those out:

An overview: Recovery as a priority and mindset;
the difference between dynamic and static stretching;
and the details you need to start foam rolling.

In other fresh news, I’ll be launching my own series to provide support for out-of-shape new or returning athletes and dive into the Strong Mind aspect of Endurance Athletics. The first post will cover breaking the weight loss yoyo and identifying self-sabotage.

To keep up on posts and other happenings at Endurance Athletics, subscribe to our mailing list and join our community group on Facebook.

Stay healthy and happy!

Posted on January 14, 2021January 14, 2021 by Morgan Ringel

Dynamic and static stretching: Use both for ultimate recovery

Woman in sports bra and running shorts lunges on a pier. Fluid lunges are a great form of dynamic stretching and are best done before your workout.

Dynamic and static stretching are the two main styles of stretching, and both are essential for athletes. It’s critical that you know when to utilize each technique and how to perform the stretches properly.

We chose this topic as the first deep dive in our Recovery for Runners series because it’s that important. Every. Single. Run. should be accompanied with stretching, both before and after.

A man in blue racing tights, black shorts and a black shirt with a racing bib stretches with legs wide, reaching for his left calf. Stretching is not an option — Stretching can either be used during warmup or cool down. Properly stretching can ease muscle soreness, improve flexibility, increase range of motion, and enhance spatial awareness. Skipping is not an option.

In this post we’re going to look at the differences between dynamic and static stretching, what they’re good for, when to do them, and what to be careful of. We’ll also take a peak at the next level of stretching beyond these two basics.

Dynamic Stretching

This style is done before your workout, as part of the warmup. Dynamic stretching is especially helpful before high intensity workouts like speed training or hill work.

This style uses movement to stretch muscles. You don’t want to hold any stretch. It is a fluid, “dynamic” movement.

The key to dynamic stretching is to keep moving – you don’t want to hold any stretches. Reach that point of properly stretching your muscles then instantly release. Fluid lunges and arm swings are good examples of dynamic stretches.

Dynamic stretching is best pre-workout because it warms and prepares your muscles, increases your range of motion, and improves your spacial awareness. (Spatial awareness = being aware of your body in space).

Those three benefits translate to better control of your body and a lower chance of injury.

One warning on dynamic stretching. Stay in control of the movement. Push yourself too much and you can end up doing more harm than good.

Static stretching

Static (or stationary) stretching is best done post-workout right after your cool down. This style helps to improve flexibility and range of motion, and it can ease pain and stiffness.

These stretches are held for an extended period of time, and breath should be used as a tool to deepen the stretch.

A man in a white runners tanktop and blue basketball shorts sits on a track with his back to the camera, reaching for his left foot which is spread to the side. This is a good example of static stretching, which is best done after a workout. — Static stretches are the most common form of stretching, though they’re best done after a workout (not before). Positions are held for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing into the posture.

You’ll want to perform the stretch with some resistance, but never to a point that becomes painful. Try to hold each stretch for 30 seconds to a minute while maintaining calm and steady breaths.

The overall experience should be pleasant and relaxing, while at the same time you should be able to feel the target muscles being stretched.

Dedicate five minutes minimum to static stretching after a light run. After higher intensity runs (or if you’re emphasizing recovery), then budget ten to fifteen minutes and your body will thank you.

Two warnings on static stretching. Never bounce or force a position, which can overextend the muscle and cause injury. Secondly, holding a stretch for too long can also lead to cramping. Don’t push it.

Dynamic vs. Static, and beyond

To summarize, dynamic (fluid) stretching is the best way to warm and prepare your muscles before a run, but remember to take things slow and stay in control.

Static (stationary) stretching improves flexibility and can ease muscle soreness after a run, but be sure not to force a stretch or hold it too long.

These two basics are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stretching. If you have an area giving you trouble, dive deeper. There are ways to target that muscle specifically. This document from FitKit highlights a ton of different static stretches.

A woman in black tank top and shorts and white running shoes is crouched down on one leg, with the other extended out and she is reaching with her hand to grab her ankle, stretching her back and hip. She is on a patch of grass with a city view in the background. — There are probably a dozen stretches for each muscle or muscle group in the body. Use stretching to target areas that are stiff or troublesome for you.

The next level of stretching dynamically is called ballistic stretching. It uses momentum to push past your typical dynamic stretch.

I chose not to go into detail about ballistic stretching because it is very advanced and should only be done under supervision. However, advanced athletes are encouraged to delve further into the topic or reach out with questions.

What’s up next?

Now that you can check dynamic and static stretching off of your need-to-know list, we can look ahead. Up next in Recovery for Runners, we’ll discuss foam rolling – a practice every runner needs to try.

And we’re excited to announce a separate upcoming series to champion our “Strong Mind” emphasis. We’ll be discussing mental health, positivity, time management, and much more. Stay tuned!

The best way to keep up with new posts and other Endurance Athletics news is by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We’re always looking to expand our community of happy, healthy everyday athletes, and we’d love for you to join us.

Posted on January 7, 2021January 14, 2021 by Morgan Ringel — 3 Comments

Recovery for runners: How to stay healthy and happy

Recovery for runners is ESSENTIAL – from day one through the rest of your journey. Good runners don’t just think about recovery after a workout. You need an overall recovery plan.

A recovery plan should include techniques done before and after your workouts, as well as best practices to aid overall healing and wellbeing. That’s what we’ll be looking at here in this first post of a new series.

Remember, a healthy runner is a happy runner.

The recovery toolbox for runners

A man in a racing shirt and bib and running shorts runs with his arms swinging, face red, and sweat dripping from his face. The harder an athlete pushes themselves, the more important recovery begins. — The harder you push yourself, the more essential a thorough recovery plan is. Athletes of all levels should be focused on healing and rest – before and after runs, as well as in their general everyday life.

Before your runs

Proper nutrition. Make sure your body is fueled before lacing up your shoes. This can be done by maintaining appropriate calorie intake, making good food choices, and by adding a pre-workout meal before runs.

It’s important to note that some foods are specifically beneficial to runners – more on that here.

Proper hydration. Dehydration is a major risk to runners. To combat that, maintain adequate hydration everyday, prioritize water while running, and pay attention to your electrolyte levels.

For our complete guide on hydration and electrolytes, click here.

Dynamic stretching. This form of stretching is done during a warmup and uses movement to help stretch the muscles. We’ll be diving into this topic next week.

After your runs

A woman in athletic leggings and tennis shoes, seen from the legs down, stretches forward, with her finger tips near her tennis shoes. Stretching is an essential part of recovery for runners. — Static stretching promotes recovery, especially when done after a workout.

Static stretching. This style of stretching is how people frequently picture “stretching.”

It involves a longer hold of the stretch while breathing, and is best done after a workout rather than before.

Overall practices that support recovery

Sleep. This cannot be stressed enough. Make. Sleep. A. Priority. This means taking enough time to get a full 6-8 hours of sleep, and to identify any issues that are deterring you from getting good sleep.

A woman in a running t-shirt and shorts power walks or jogs through a park with green grass and trees in the background. Recovery runs are an important part of recovery for runners. — For a recovery run, you’ll want to reduce mileage and/or intensity. These can (and should) be sprinkled into your training plan weekly or bi-weekly. For more intensive training, you can take a whole week of recovery runs.

Recovery runs & recovery weeks. While making your original training plan, you hopefully included regular recovery runs – days where you reduce mileage or intensity.

When training heavy, you may need a week rather than a day.

We’ll examine these further on in the series.

Tapering. This is a technique done before a race that allows you to fully recover from training and feel fresh on race day. You do this by reducing the amount and intensity of your runs. We’ll dive further into this soon.

Mental health checks. Recovery extends beyond the physical realm. Take your recovery days or specific techniques to also check in on your mental health. Doing so will promote further growth and self-improvement.

Time management. Training plans can be time consuming, and when life gets busy, recovery is easy to skimp on. You may be able to review how you spend your time, and find that by giving up menial things (like Facebook checks) you have all the time you need to include proper recovery techniques.

For specific suggestions on time management, check out this guide from SkillsYouNeed.

Recovery for runners must be a mindset

For runners, recovery is just as important as the running itself. It must become a mindset to properly care for the body that you’re working so hard.

A graphic of the human brain made up of words like "meaning" "observation" "thought" "habit" "feeling," etc. Runners have to think of recovery as a total mindset versus something they do before or after a run - it should be an overall priority on healing and rest. — Athletes with a recovery mindset place importance on healing and rest, both physically and mentally. If the goal is to improve, then recovery is a necessity.

The most important thing to remember is that recovery is way more than five minutes of stretching after a run, or a rest day once a week.

Recovery is your body repairing and adapting to the stress of training. It’s your muscles healing stronger than before. It’s your time to practice self care and check in with your mental health.

Recovery is when the real progress is made.

Up next in our recovery series

Recovery is so essential that we’ll be digging deeper into a few of the essentials in the coming weeks: dynamic and static stretching, foam rolling, R.I.C.E., recovery weeks, and tapering ahead of a race.

Be sure to stay tuned.

Subscribing to our email list is the best way to keep up with new content, as well as learn about upcoming virtual races and the other projects hosted by Endurance Athletics.

Stay healthy and stay happy, runners!