Weekend rhymes with long run and long ride for most of us. Nothing more exciting than a heavy mileage in your legs. Long runs are an important milestone for every new runner. Whether you are training for your first Marathon, ultra-run, or you are facing your first ever long run: you can achieve it, you prepared your body by drinking and eating properly since days before. Great! But what about AFTER RUN?

Here is our Long Run Recovery Memorandum, good to know, good to remember.

JUST AFTER RUN. Refuel and rehydrate. Sports drinks, water, proteins snacks, banana, dates, even chocolate: replenish your body’s depleted glycogen levels, electrolytes, sodium and fluids. Change your clothes! Take off those sweaty gear and put on dry clothes: it will help blood and nutrients circulation through your body quicker for a speed recovery.  Do your stretching: 10 mins minimum of static stretches focusing on muscle groups like hamstrings, quads, glutes, hip flexors, and low back can vastly reduce post-run fatigue, helping you feel loose and strong for next run.

1 HOUR AFTER RUN. Time for hearty food. Opt for lean protein, as well as complex carbohydrates and vitamin-restoring fruits and veggies.

THE EVENING AFTER RUN. Have a good restoring sleep. Try your best to go to bed early and give the chance your body to heal itself, repairing muscle damage and continuing to move toxins out of your body.

THE DAY AFTER RUN. Listen your body. Generally runners have an easy short run (about 20 or 30 mins at easy pace that you can talk with your buddy or by phone). A complementary form of cross training is recommended by experts: swimming, biking or yoga will increase blood flow, decrease feelings of sore and tight muscles and speed up the recovery process. Meal time: make half your plate fruits and veggies, and the other half lean protein. And keep drinking plenty of water.