Muscle Recovery After Long Runs

Effects of a Long Run

• Running long means more time on your feet, which results in greater stress on your muscles, joints and connective tissues. When you go for a long run, you increase the number of mitochondria and capillaries in the active muscles which enhances your ability to remove waste and use oxygen. In short, the long run makes you more efficient and increases your stamina. However, the long run also calls upon muscle fibers that aren't necessarily used during shorter distances. You need to train these muscle fibers so they are available to you during the last miles of a long race, but this means that the depth of your muscle fatigue following a long run is greater than after a shorter bout of running.

Time to Recover

• How long it takes your muscles to recover from a long run depends on your running fitness level. Exercise physiologist Robert Vaughn says that runners with years of training may take just 48 to 72 hours to recover after a long run, but a newer runner may not fully recover for a couple of weeks. If you are training for a long race and have multiple runs planned for your week, you should leave at least one full day of rest between long runs.

Nutrition

• To enhance muscle recovery after a long run, you should eat within about 30 minutes of finishing. A snack that includes carbohydrates and some protein in a 3-to-1 ratio is best as the carbs help replenish glycogen -- stored energy in your muscles and liver -- and the protein assists with muscle repair and recovery. Good options include a protein smoothie made with fresh fruit, yogurt and whey or soy protein powder or a sports drink and an energy bar. Post-run hydration also hastens recovery. Drink water at regular intervals for at least 3 hours after your workout, Stacy Sims, exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, recommends. You should also include some sodium in your post-run hydration plan -- try adding a pinch of salt to water with lemon or make some of your drinks electrolyte-replacement sports drinks.

Massage, Ice and Compression

• Wearing compression socks after your long run may help your muscles recover sooner. A review of research published in a 2013 issue of the "International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance" concluded that compression clothing worn during recovery resulted in small to moderate improvement in recovery for power and strength, reductions in swelling, enhancement of removal of waste products and less perceived muscle pain. Massage, from a therapist or a foam roller or other self-massage technique, can also help increase circulation to tired muscles and enhance recovery. An ice bath after a long run may hasten recovery too. A review of multiple studies published in the Cochrane Library Database in 2012 found some evidence that immersing yourself in cold water may help reduce incidences of delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Considerations

• If you have gradually increased your miles over time, you will have an easier time recovering from each long run. Ramping up your mileage too quickly can cause serious soreness. Treating your body well during your training also helps your recovery process. Warm up before your long runs with a few minutes of easy jogging and some dynamic stretches such as high knees. This makes your muscles more pliable for the work to come. Vaughn says that a day or two of rest or easy workouts prior to your long run makes your recovery easier. If you do end up sore, over-the-counter pain medications may help discomfort, but they don't help your muscle recover.