Recover, Rest, Re-charge: Post-run care

Sweat drips from your temple and onto the sidewalk below as you slow your pace into a walk—a movement that suddenly seems foreign for your body. Finishing a run, and stopping the time on your stopwatch does not always indicate the end of your workout. In order to stray away from the soreness and lactic acid build-up that has haunted you time and time again, try implementing some variation into your cool-down process.

One of the best ways to supplement your stretching routine is with a foam roller. Like an inanimate masseuse, the foam roller can target most any body part you’re experiencing soreness with. Most often, I put my ankles on the roller, holding my body up with my arms, and roll up to my hamstrings. Additionally, the foam roller is good for treating shin splints.

As a long-term recovery method, you can elevate or ice your legs. Elevation can promote blood flow back up towards your heart, and “eliminate waste products”, according to, “Your Best Rest”, from Runner’s World.  This article also suggests bags of ice, or ice baths (up to 15 minutes) to reduce inflammation and achy joints.

Bettering your recovery routine makes for genuine strides and more productive training. 

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Running over Myths: Chocolate versus Strawberry Milk

The debate is not between whole or skim, rather, the debate is between chocolate and strawberry. While a lot of post-workout recovery drinks have become inflated—in benefits and in price—milk serves as a simple and hearty remedy for your post-workout routine.

Instead of cooling down with sugary swigs of Gatorade, or grainy gulps of protein, physiologists at Indiana University suggest that the best drink after your cardio exercise can be found in your dairy aisle.

In regards to the chocolate versus strawberry debate, there is a wider host of data that proves chocolate milk more worthy of helping your muscles recover and furthering your endurance.

In an article from FitnessMagazine.com, physiologists say that chocolate milk trumps other drinks, including water, because the high carb and protein content in chocolate milk gives the body something to metabolize after a strenuous and lengthy workout. Something that the article stresses is that chocolate milk is best after a long, sustained workout like cycling, swimming and long distance running.

Sure, strawberry milk provides the same basis of recovery as chocolate milk. However, the sugar intake in chocolate milk helps to remove that immediate sense of fatigue after a workout. The best strawberry milk recovery drinks should use real, blended strawberries such as the recipe in LovingtheBike.com.

When buying your preferred ingredients for chocolate milk, stray from the syrups that contain fructose and high concentrations of sugar. Opt for a chocolate powder so as not to backtrack on the progress you make in your exercise. Re-charge with a more natural drink and milk your run for all that it’s worth.

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