The day after a run
The day after a run, my legs usually feel heavy or tight. Sometimes it is sore, other times you hardly even notice it. I believe that this is down to 3 things:
- not stretching enough before and after the run (this should take at least 5 minutes for each)
- food to aid recovery (ensure you refuel properly afterwards)
- practice (the more you skip an occasional run, the harder it is to keep your body in tune with exercise)
I felt a bit heavy after Sunday’s run but not too bad. It is actually a nice reminder that you have been exercising (even if it is harder to walk up the stairs, you can still feel warm and fuzzy inside).
My most difficult bit is my calves -I have one which is much tighter than the other (probably due to injuring it as a teenager without realising it and then scar tissue tightens it up). I have some great exercises to make the most out of it though and I’ll blog about these later.
Today (2 days after the first run) I feel no ill effects and am eager to go out tonight. It is very important not to overdo running at this stage and ensure I allow my body to recover - an injury will scupper all the plans. I think that 3 runs per week will be perfect for me and my goals so let’s see what happens.
Cheers, Mark
Thanks for writing this.