Recovery runs are a staple of the elites. But why aren’t amateurs making more use of them?
There are 2 explanations for this. First, elite runners train more than 100 miles per week and often do nearly daily doubles, which they can absorb only with recovery runs. Second, amateur runners are typically pressed for time because of life commitments and therefore aim to maximize training efficiency with more intensity.
But recovery runs aren’t just an elite tool. Used well, they let amateurs add volume, recover between hard sessions, and extend the benefit of a long run without it costing them anything on race day.
What Is a Recovery Run
Recovery runs are defined as zone 1 training, and therefore slower than your bread-and-butter zone 2 easy runs.
Definition
The term recovery run is somewhat of a misnomer, as it implies that it somehow speeds up recovery. It doesn’t. Rest and passive recovery modes are the fastest way to bounce back from previous workouts.
Purpose
Recovery runs serve a simple purpose: don’t get much in the way of recovering from key workouts while still having a training effect. That means absorbing adaptations from the previous workout and arriving fresh for the next. So the value isn’t in the run itself, it’s what the run avoids costing you.
How to Perform Recovery Runs
Recovery runs don’t require any warm-up. They’re meant to be easy on you mentally and physically.
Intensity and Pace
In terms of heart rate, a recovery run has a 10-20 bpm lower heart rate than your typical easy run. That roughly translates to a 60-90 seconds per mile (30-60 sec per km) slower pace than easy runs.
Duration and Volume
I recommend recovery runs in the 20-40 minute range, regardless of your training level. (Advanced runners cover more distance, of course.) Recovery runs shorter than 20 minutes are hardly worth the hassle of getting dressed and showering, and runs longer than 40 minutes no longer count as recovery runs.
Adaptations from Recovery Runs
The adaptations from recovery runs may be small, but they come at a low recovery cost.
Cardiovascular Adaptations
The best-known benefit of recovery runs is the increased blood flow to fatigued muscles, delivering oxygen and nutrients. They also provide a modest stimulus to stroke volume and capillarization, which improves oxygen delivery.
Metabolic Adaptations
Recovery runs are powered 60-70% by fat; a higher percentage than any other running intensity. This promotes fat oxidation. That said, total calorie burn is lower at this pace, so the absolute amount of fat burned can end up similar to or even less than a harder run of the same duration. More time on your feet also increases mitochondrial density.
Muscular Adaptations
Each additional run improves running economy by reinforcing efficient movement patterns. It also builds tendon and connective tissue resilience over time, enabling you to handle a higher mileage eventually.
When You Should Do Recovery Runs
Zone 1 runs shouldn’t replace zone 2 runs unless you need recovery. The following three scenarios call for recovery runs.
During Demanding Training Weeks
During the base phase, when workouts are still light, you won’t need recovery runs. But this can change in the late support phase and especially during the race-specific phase. Here, a recovery run instead of an easy may be necessary to recover between demanding workouts.
The Day After Long Runs
You can also experiment with a recovery run the day after a long run. This can magnify the effect of the long run without adding much extra stress. I stumbled upon this by accident while running with a slow client on Sundays when I started out coaching. The extra 5 miles helped me race better without affecting the upcoming training days.
Double Days
One common scenario for double days is splitting a midweek medium-long run into 2 sessions. So instead of a continuous 10-mile run, you can split it into a 5-mile easy run in the morning and a 5-mile recovery run in the evening. Here the recovery run does double duty, adding volume to the week while still leaving you fresh for the next day’s workout.
3 Recovery Runs
Although recovery runs are well-defined, here are 3 different ways to execute them.
Standard Shakeout
This is the standard recovery run I’ve talked about throughout this article. It has little structure, since warm-up and cool-down are unnecessary. Just occasionally check your smartwatch to make sure you aren’t running too fast.
Recovery Run with Strides
A recovery run doesn’t need to be entirely at zone 1 pace. You can also spice them up with 4-6 times 100m strides at 1500m pace. You can either do them at the end of each mile or km, or tack them on at the end of the run with walk-back recoveries. This recruits fast-twitch fibers without adding much metabolic stress.
The Long Run Booster
This extended recovery run takes place the day after a long run. I don’t recommend it after 15+ mile long runs, but you can add it the day after a 10-15 mile session. Nevertheless, this type of recovery run should finish inside 1 hour.
