How to Recover After a 5K

I'm sure you've seen the signs, flyers and received the emails advertising for one of the best parts of Fall:  5K Season!  Read this article by Eric Ammon from Active.com on how to properly recover after your 5k race.

So, you’ve just run a 5K. What do you do to help your recovery? Use these tips to bounce right back into pre-race shape:

Cool Down

After your race, don’t just stop running. It’s important for your muscles to cool down. Your cool down could simply be walking for five to 10 minutes or a slow run for a mile or two.

Whichever you choose, it’ll help get the lactic acid out of your muscles, prevent your muscles from tightening, and also keep the blood flowing through your system to help with muscle repair.

After the walk or slow run, some light stretching will help as well. Don’t stretch too vigorously—just enough to sooth your muscles. If you happen to have a massage stick or foam roller, take the time to roll out your muscles. Or give your legs a massage.

Eat

You may not have burned a ton of calories, but you still need to make sure you replace the calories you lost. You won’t need a lot, so look for things at the race that have extra nutrients such as oranges or bananas.

You may also want to pack your favorite energy bar to help refuel after your race. Be careful you don’t overeat. Just because you finished the race doesn’t mean you can eat like a king (or queen).

Hydrate

No matter what your speed was, you need to make sure you hydrate after your race. Replacing the fluids you lost is essential to help prevent any headaches, and muscle cramping.

Keep reading and get the other tips by following this link:  Active.com