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what are recovery runs????
Wednesday, 01 September 2010 - Written by strutton1313 [profile]
I never heard of doing recovery runs until recently. I have always just gone out and ran. On my days off I usually take the day off. I have tried to cross train some but mostly I just rest. But now I have read some articles and reading blogs on here and I here about mixing in shorter slower "recovery runs". Is this to give muscles a break? I do that on my weekends. Or is it to help flush lactic acid or just loosen joints or what? My son has soccer practice three times a week in the evenings and I have been thinking about jogging through the park not for speed or real milage just for relaxation. Would this count as a recovery run and would it help or would the added miles just tax me more possibly leading to overtraining and injury? Not real sure what I am doing, I have just been running steady again for two months and before that the last time was back in the early 90s. I have always just sporadically trained and used races for fun. Never have really "trained" (since High School and one year of College Track) but want to now. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
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markz88 says:

On rest days I was always taught you can do either; that being you can either

take the day off if you need it or you can go for a nice and easy 30 minute run,

a recovery run-- Personally, I feel taking the day off is a good idea to give the

muscles time to rest and prepare for the next upcoming week of more running


strutton1313 says:

I just reread my blog and realized I didnt make my question very clear. I run 5 days a week in the morning and was wondering if I started jogging 3 days a week slow and relaxed in the evenings (kind of doubles but no time not measured runs) would this be recovery or just more training taxing miles?


markz88 says:

I'm not an expert, but I feel like whenever I've run 2 separate times in a day the 2nd time is still like a training run b/c I don't think the muscles have had fully enough time to recover; however I do feel like running 2 separate times during the day is beneficial-- not an expert though just an avid runner


johnnyk8 says:

Not an expert here either -

I define a recovery run as not only a physical relaxation but mental too. Not only do I change my pace and intensity but I change the venue.

My recovery runs are on trails in the woods, on the beach or on a different path. Somewhere other than the same old same old.

Typically my average pace is about 6:55 - 6:35 in the 6.2 mi runs. I will run at a 7:30 pace or maybe 7:45 pace on a recovery day. This will reduce my HR from 155 to 125 or so. In other words a nice relaxing run, mentally and physically. Numbers will vary for different people at different training levels.

It's important to reduce your HR and your pace (they are directionally proportional) and shorten the distance too.

There are my lines of thinking. Mine does not come from any school. It's just what I do.

OR - just take a nice eay bike ride throught he countryside. That's my favorite recover as I have trouble controlling my pace. I always want to go fast.

Post edited by: johnnyk8, at: 2010/09/02 09:11


johnnyk8 says:

Here is a great link from a fellow runner and foodie.

thekitchenofarunner.com/2010/09/role-of-recovery/

This guy knows his stuff

Post edited by: johnnyk8, at: 2010/09/02 20:13


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