How to Get Rid of Muscle Soreness After a Hard Run
You’re feeling sore, stiff, and it hurts to move.
It feels like you can barely walk or even get out of bed. You feel defeated because all you want to do is lay in bed with a heating pad on your legs for the rest of the day. But that isn’t an option if you want to run again tomorrow! So what are some ways we can recover from our hard workouts?
There are many different things we can do after a workout to help us recover faster so we don’t have any lasting effects from our hard efforts during training. Here are different ways runners can speed up recovery after their long runs or fast workouts!
Take a hot bath with Epsom salt, eucalyptus oil, and lavender for sore muscles
Runners should try taking a hot bath with Epsom salt, eucalyptus oil, and lavender after their long runs to reduce muscle soreness.
This relaxing activity can be very beneficial for runners who have experienced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) as a result of running hard workouts or completing long runs! To do this, runners should mix a cup of Epsom salt with two cups of eucalyptus oil and four drops of lavender.
After the bath, be sure to drink plenty of water!
This is an extremely relaxing activity that will be beneficial for runners who are suffering from sore muscles after a hard workout.
Stretch before running again to reduce the risk of injury
A very important way to get rid of muscle soreness is stretching before running again. This will reduce the risk of injury and allow you to run more comfortably!
Stretching after your workout helps runners recover faster by decreasing the amount of stress they put on their muscles during training, which can help prevent injuries like pulled muscles or shin splints.
Runners should avoid stretching before their next run, as this can weaken muscles and increase the risk of injury. Instead, stretch after your workout to prevent injuries! To do a proper runner’s stretch, runners should stand up straight with one hand on a bench or chair for support. The other leg should be extended behind them so it is straight, while they bend their knee of the standing leg and lean towards it.
This stretch should be held for 20-30 seconds before switching legs.
Runners who experience muscle soreness after long runs or hard workouts can reduce this pain by taking a hot bath with Epsom salt, eucalyptus oil, and lavender, and stretching before their next run.
This is a great way to recover faster after training so you can get back out there and enjoy your runs!
Get enough sleep - 8 hours is best for muscle recovery
Getting enough sleep is extremely important for runners who are recovering from muscle soreness.
According to this recent study, there can be a major difference in perceived recovery during one night of “normal” (seven hours) versus extended (ten hours) sleep duration. Those who slept only seven hours were much more likely to report feeling tired and experiencing muscle soreness.
However, sleeping for ten hours did not significantly improve perceived recovery!
Another study found that runners who slept between seven and eight hours had better performance in a marathon than those who got less or more sleep. This is likely because their muscles were recovered and ready to perform well during the race!
For best results, runners should aim for between seven and eight hours of sleep every night. This will help them recover faster so they feel less muscle soreness after a hard workout or long run!
These studies show that getting enough sleep is extremely important for runners who are suffering from DOMS as a result of running hard workouts or completing long runs. Getting just seven hours of sleep can have a major effect on perceived recovery, so runners should get between seven and eight hours each night to help reduce muscle soreness.
This is extremely beneficial for long-distance runners who want to recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs!
It's best if you avoid running the day before your next run because it can weaken your muscles and increase the risk of injury.
Try foam rolling or stretching after every run
A great way to decrease muscle soreness after a hard run is foam rolling or stretching afterward. This helps runners recover faster so they can get back out there and enjoy their runs!
For best results, running experts recommend foam rolling before your workout if you are feeling stiff joints or tight muscles because this loosens them up for the demands of running. Then, runners should stretch after their run to increase flexibility and decrease muscle soreness!
A great way for runners of all different abilities to reduce the amount of DOMS they experience is foam rolling before and stretching after a hard workout or long run. Both techniques help improve recovery so that muscles don’t feel as tired and stiff.
This is a great way for runners to recover faster so they can get back out there and enjoy their runs!
Massage your calf muscles using a tennis ball or golf ball
Doing this will help increase blood flow to the area and relax tight muscles.
To massage your calf muscles, you can either sit down with one leg extended or kneel on an exercise mat with both legs out in front of you. If it’s more comfortable for you, wear socks when doing this stretch! Once seated or on your knees, place a tennis ball or golf ball under the calf muscle on either leg. Then, roll it around for several minutes to loosen up tight muscles and reduce soreness!
This is an easy way that runners can recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs. It helps increase blood flow to the area so you relax any tension in the muscles and feel less soreness the next day!
Eat a small meal that contains a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein
Eating a small meal that contains a four to one ratio of carbohydrates to protein can help runners recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs. This means eating foods like quinoa, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables!
This is an easy way for runners to reduce the amount of muscle soreness they feel so they will be ready for their next run faster.
An easy way for runners to recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs is by eating a small meal that contains carbohydrates and protein in equal ratios, like whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. This means eating foods like quinoa, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables!
This can help improve recovery so that muscles don’t feel as sore the next day.
An easy way for runners of all different abilities to reduce the amount of DOMS they experience after a hard workout or long run is by eating foods like quinoa, whole grains, and vegetables! This will help improve recovery so you can get back out there faster without feeling as tired and stiff.
Take an ice bath
A great way that runners can recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs is by taking an ice bath. This helps increase blood flow and decrease muscle pain so you feel less sore the next day!
This is an easy way that runners can reduce the amount of DOMS they experience after a hard run by taking an ice bath, which has been known to help with recovery because it increases blood flow in your muscles and decreases stiffness. These are all easy ways that runners can recover faster after their hard workouts or long runs. Try incorporating some of these into your recovery routine to reduce muscle soreness and get back out there sooner!
An ice bath is a great way for runners to recover faster after their hard run by increasing blood flow in the muscles and decreasing stiffness. All of these are great ways to recover faster after a hard workout or long run. Try implementing some of these into your recovery routine so you can get back out there sooner without feeling as tired and stiff!
An ice bath is an easy way for runners to reduce the amount of DOMS they experience after a hard workout or long run by increasing blood flow in their muscles and decreasing stiffness. All of these are easy ways that runners can recover faster after their hard workout or long run, so try to incorporate some into your recovery routine to reduce muscle soreness!
Nap, put your feet up, or get a massage
An easy way that runners can recover faster after their long runs is by napping, putting their feet up, or getting a massage. This will help improve recovery so you can feel less tired and sore when it’s time to run again!
Another way that runners who train for longer races like half marathons and marathons can reduce the amount of DOMS they feel after a long run is by napping, putting their feet up, or getting a massage. This will help improve recovery so you can feel less tired and sore when it’s time to go running again!
Napping, putting your feet up, or getting a massage are all easy ways that runners of different abilities can recover faster after their hard run by improving blood flow in the muscles and decreasing stiffness. These will help improve recovery so you feel less tired and sore when it’s time to go running again!
This is an easy way that runners can reduce the amount of DOMS they feel after a hard run by napping, putting their feet up, or getting a massage. This will help improve blood flow in your muscles and decrease stiffness, which means you will feel less tired and sore when it’s time to go running again!
Cold Compression
Cold compression wrap is an easy way of relieving muscle soreness after long runs. All you have to do is wear it on the sored muscle area for relief from pain after long runs.
Get moving
If you want to recover faster after your long runs, an easy way for runners is by getting moving. This will help improve blood flow in the muscles and decrease stiffness so that you can feel less tired and sore when it's time to run again!
Getting moving is an easy way that runners can reduce the amount of DOMS they experience after a long run by helping blood flow in their muscles and decreasing stiffness. By doing this, you will be able to recover faster and feel less tired and sore when it’s time to go running again!
The next time you are sore, try these different ways to get rid of muscle soreness after a hard run. You can also incorporate some of the tips from this routine on those rare occasions when you have more time for recovery protocols. Have any others that work well? Let us know!