Recovery Procedure
The recovery
It is likely that after a tough training session encompassing a run, there will be stiffness in your body, particularly your legs. And if your next training session coincides with it, you will feel as if you’re dragging a piece of dead wood around. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Many of us tend to be enthusiastic when warming up simply because we are loaded with energy and ready to go. The mistake arises when it comes to cooling down.
Tired and exhausted, the first thing that comes to mind after a tough training session is to get off our feet and lay flat under a shady tree to catch our breath. That’s a big mistake. Switching off the body in such a manner would inadvertently promote a build up of lactic acid in the muscles adding to the discomfort you will feel later.
Ideally, any cooling down should begin even before you reach the finishing point of your training run. About 10 minutes before the end, start slowing down, first to a steady jog and then to a walk over the last five minutes. You should also do some light stretching before heading home.
Once home, immerse as much of your legs in a pail of cool water – the deeper the pail the better – so as to contract your muscles and help to expel the lactic acid. This is commonly practiced by many professional athletes, not just runners but those in other sporting disciplines as well.
When you are done, give your legs (from feet up) a light oil massage to restore the circulation and further expel the toxins from your system. Thereafter, do a leg drain where you lie on the floor with your feet up against the wall. This allows the blood and toxins to be drained away from your legs and be replaced by fresh blood.