Alameda Runners – Get After It!

The need to recover is absolutely vital — it is a great way to prevent overuse injuries that many of us inevitably suffer.

The more you get out and run, ride, or train, it gets harder to just sit around and rest.  Many people will participate in “recovery” activities, which are normally slower, shorter duration runs and bike rides.

In the May edition of “Endurance News” from Hammer Nutrition, there is an article that goes into depth regarding the complicated art of recovery.  You can find the article here (PDF).

Specifically, the author noted recovery is “defined as training that takes place below 70% HR at a minimum; below 65% is even better.”

As long as you’re training at least 50%, which still gives you physiological effects, then you should be good to go.   My HR runs much higher than Ted’s HR, even when I’m “recovering,” but I can tell when I look at my HR monitor when I’m pushing myself too hard.  During a recent race, my HR climbed upwards of 165+ bpm — and I suffered greatly — though my first run after the race I kept my HR under 140 and shuffled home.

Recovery workouts should almost always be an hour or less in duration.  On the bike, you may be able to stretch that to 90 minutes, but I would limit that to two conditions:

•    You’re training for ultra-cycling events such as RAAM or the Furnace Creek 508.
•    You are training for an Ironman.

Did you hear that?

Unless you’re training for a specific event that requires hours upon hours of continuous exercise, keep your recovery activities short!