If you’ve been reading about running, chances are you’ve heard about recovery runs, but you may not know exactly what a recovery run or why you might need to include one in your training. Many experienced long distance runners add recovery runs to their training schedule in order to maximize their ability to gain fitness from their other workouts. But what exactly is a recovery run? This post is all about the recovery run and why you should consider adding one to your weekly runs.
First things first…
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What is a Recovery Run?
When most people start running, they run (or should run, anyway) at an easy, conversational pace. But when they start itching to run further, faster, or both, they’ll add in harder workouts. Too much hard running almost inevitably leads to injury, which is why these runners need to add in some very easy running to balance things out.
Most training plans are built upon the hard-easy principle. Hard workouts like speedwork, tempo runs, even long runs, should be alternated with easy running. If you’re doing a good amount of your mileage as hard workouts, your easy workouts should be done at an even easier pace so that your body can recover from your hard efforts.
Why Add a Recovery Run?
Recovery runs benefit you by getting blood flowing through your muscles, helping to flush out wastes and provide fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscle cells (source). Hard runs damage your muscle cells, breaking some of them down and causing excess lactic acid production in others. During a recovery run, more blood is drawn to the running muscles than when you’re inactive, which helps the body refresh and repair the muscle.
How Do I Do a Recovery Run?
Recovery runs are run at a very slow pace, even more slowly than your long run, or about 2 minutes/mile slower than your half marathon pace. The pace should be kept very easy and the duration should be relatively short—just a few miles. If you’re training for a half marathon, try keeping your recovery runs to around 3 miles. Marathoners should generally keep their recovery runs to 4-6 miles in length. Remember that the aim of the recovery run is to flush your muscles with fresh blood, not to gain speed or endurance. Easy does it!
I do recovery spin sessions, to give my body a break from the pounding. It gives me a chance to release all the lactic acid, move around a little, and piss things off as little as possible!
Love it! Spinning is awesome for runners, too, because the movement is all in one plane, just like running.
I did a recovery run for the first time 2 days after I ran Chicago last fall, and it was great!
Recovery runs are awesome after big races! And especially after a marathon, it’s hard to run at anything faster than recovery pace. 😉
I need to start doing more slow, slow recovery runs. Every run turns into a fast session after the first couple miles. I’m reading the 80/20 Running book now, so hopefully I can follow its lessons.
I’ve been there, too. It’s hard to keep the pace slow when you’re feeling good or when you think you need to run faster all the time to get faster. Definitely let us know what you learn from the book!
Great info, thanks for sharing! I just signed up for my 3rd half and I definitely need to incorporate more recovery runs while training this time around.
You are most welcome! Good luck with training!
As a newbie runner, I definitely was under educated about recovery runs. This was super useful. I definitely have done some recovery walking (which to be fair, with my slow pace, might be about the right speed).
This is great!
Thanks, Kay! I aim to educate. 🙂 Recovery walking is great, too! It’s doing the same thing–getting the blood flowing through the muscles!
Wonderful post, Coach Beth!! I think recovery runs are a must in a marathon training schedule.
Thanks, Chelsea! And I trust your opinion on what’s needed in a marathon training schedule since you’ve run a gazillion of them!
I see a lot of recovery runs in my future when I start marathon training 😛
Yes, do them! It really helps refresh your legs, especially when you’re running high mileage.
Great tips! I like following a hard day with an easy day and I often do recovery runs after a long run.
Thanks, Tina! I’m a big fan of alternating hard and easy runs, too.
I have the hardest time with recovery runs… I just don’t like running slow. I really, really need to work on this. :-/ I definitely don’t want to wind up injured. Thanks for posting this. It’s a great reminder!!
You’re very welcome! When I first started doing recovery runs I actually ran them on a treadmill, which helped force me to run slower. Some GPS watches have settings where you can have them beep at you if you’re running too fast, too. Good luck! 🙂
But 6.5 miles in 25 miuntes is crazy fast. 4 miunte miles for 6.5 miles is awesome! Also, I am looking to get a dog that I can take along on my runs (mostly trail). Do you sometimes take Max. If so, on or off leash? I noticed from your pics he is on a leash mostly.
Ya learn something new everyday. It’s true I guess!