Self Care for Runners 101 - The Science Behind Rest and Recovery
Whether you’re new to running or you’ve been pounding pavement for as long as you can remember, creating good rest and recovery habits is crucial for sustainable performance and optimal improvement.
While pushing limits and increasing mileage is important, creating healthy rest and recovery habits allows your body to repair, adapt, and grow stronger. Not to mention, without adequate rest, your risk of injury and overtraining increases—both of which can create significant setbacks in your training.
Muscle Repair and Growth
During intense workouts or long runs especially, muscle fibers experience microscopic tears. This is a natural part of the training process, but it is only during periods of rest that your muscles can repair and grow stronger.
“In order to see gains in fitness, in order for the body to keep doing what you want it to do, you have to give it enough rest to repair itself,” says Dr. Karin VanBaak, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Department of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado. “If you’re an athlete, it means taking time out from your usual sport.”
According to a study published in Sports Medicine, muscle protein synthesis (i.e., the process of muscle repair and building) occurs predominantly during sleep and rest periods. Without enough recovery time, muscle fibers don't have sufficient opportunity to rebuild, leading to fatigue and potential injury.
FAQ: What Should My “Rest Days” Look Like?
“Rest days” look different for everyone. Some runners like to engage in active recovery exercises like walking, swimming, rowing, and light weightlifting (i.e., 30%-40% less weight than usual), while giving their legs a break.
According to UCHealth, active recovery also increases blood circulation, which helps remove waste products from soft tissue that have been broken down by intense exercise. Fresh blood flow then delivers nutrients that help repair and rebuild muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
For other runners, “rest days” create the perfect opportunity to catch up on chores, spend extra time with family and friends, or kick up your feet and read a good book. As long as your off days give your body enough time to replenish its energy stores and repair damaged muscles, they’re getting the job done.
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FAQ: How Much Time Should I Set Aside to Rest?
Ultimately, the duration of your recovery period depends on variables like your age, sport, and training regimen. For example, after a weekend long run, it’s smart to give your body a day or two to rest and repair itself. However, following a particularly strenuous exercise or race day, it’s smart to take a few days—sometimes even a few weeks—off.
In general, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests that athletes who engage in high-intensity exercise should schedule a rest day every seven to 10 days. But that’s not a hard and fast rule. Some athletes may need more frequent rest days, such as two per week.
Prevention of Overtraining Syndrome
If you have runners in your life, you’re probably also familiar with a number of overuse injuries related to running. From tendonitis and shin splints, to runners knee and IT band syndrome, overuse injuries are all too common.
While the cause of many overuse injuries varies, the most common reason comes down to the body being pushed too hard without adequate rest. A study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that rest and recovery are essential to avoid overtraining, as the body needs time to replenish energy stores, repair tissues, and regulate levels of hormones such as cortisol that become elevated under stress. Proper recovery prevents the hormonal imbalance associated with overtraining keeping your body in a healthy, efficient state.
Ultimately, the most important ingredient in any recipe for success is consistency. Not only are regular and intentional rest days critical to the body’s development, but adequate periods of recovery in your training will also help you prevent unwanted breaks in your training regimen. Plus, it’s no fun to be burned out or injured.
-Justin Duyao, Dave Harkin, and Ryan Heal contributed to this post.
