Rest Is Different For Everyone
Post-Peak-Race Recovery Tips & Strategies
Now that you’ve finished training for - and racing your peak race - what’s next?
What you do in the 24 hours-1 week after your peak race will determine how you’ll set yourself up for future training. Jump back too soon into training and you risk not being recovered. Stay away too long and you’ll have lost that feeling of familiarity and routine.
Depending on the length of your race, how hard training was for you (mentally and physically), and what your mindset is after your race plays a big role in determining how long you should rest.
And yes, rest is different for everyone. I’ve heard some people take a “down week” where they continue to train on the same days, but limit the mileage they run per day. If they were at a peak of 50 miles, a down week would probably be somewhere in the 20s.
That’s fine if it works for you, but it certainly doesn’t mesh with my philosophy and that is 100% okay.
Here’s what I prescribe to my runners and how I deal with my own training:
Totally beat up + injured? 2 weeks off, no running, no questions asked. See specialists and get healthy.
Beat up and healthy? 2 weeks of no formal training; 3 days off, 1 day jog, repeat until the two weeks are up, then assess whether more time is required.
Barely sore + in a good spot mentally + had some downtime during training? 7-10 days resting; 2 days off, 1 day jog, repeat until you feel refreshed.
The above isn’t scientific, it’s more by feel, which is why there are ranges and why it’s kinda vague. It has to be that way because each runner is different. What you might need is not going to be what your neighbor needs.
I’m planning a blog post about this topic and would love your feedback and how YOU choose to recover after a race. Do you have any go-to’s? Have anything you suggest that would help other runners? Leave a comment or reply to the email!
It’s hard to grind for months on end with one singular focus! Rest is important. How much you take is all up to you.
Friday’s Action Plan:
Jumping back into training after a break is not pleasant. Spend actual time recovering both mentally and physically so you can come back better and stronger.
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Thanks for following along on the journey! Have something you’d like to add? Have suggestions or comments? Email me: TrainwithMarc@gmail.com
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Marc is a middle school teacher and coach but also works with distance runners online. I help distance runners around the globe by providing support, writing customized training plans, and designing workouts to help them reach their racing goals. I write for my blog every Wednesday morning and newsletter every Friday morning.