Like many multisport athletes, I usually experience the changing of one season to another with equal parts excitement for the new crop of sports—and equal parts full-body soreness. My legs get hammered in the transition from summer to fall as I move from my sitting sports (i.e., rafting, kayaking, and lifestyling in campsites) to hard-charging uphill sports (i.e., mountain biking and trail running). This year is no exception: I spent the last three weeks starting a training block for the Lithia Loop trail marathon in my home town of Ashland, OR, and all my muscles and joints are feeling it. I figured it was the perfect time to test-drive some of the more popular recovery sandals on the market.

Active recovery footwear is most certainly having a moment. It’s technically a category as old as the bedroom slipper—and has existed as a more purpose-made product for more than a decade. But we seem to be reaching a new peak in active recovery footwear. There are new kicks coming out each season and new recovery technologies debuting every year. Recovery research is increasingly showing us all that we cannot ignore this intrinsic part of the training process. I also need more recovery in my life. And, like many of you, I have grown tired of torturing myself with my lacrosse ball.

This truly luxurious trial let me give my barking dogs, tight hips, and sore calves a break (and potentially a recovery boost). And, as a bonus, I get to help you figure out the best recovery sandals for you. Here’s what I found.

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How I Tested

I started the test with a deep dive deep into recovery sandal research. I scoured reviews until I’d zeroed in on the best recovery sandals on the market, then pulled back the curtain a bit on the science of each one to make sure they weren’t making any bullshit claims. Once I’d called in samples, I subjected each one to a couple of tests.

For starters, I ran a similar 4.5-mile loop 12 times over the course of two weeks and wore each of these sandals for a full day after each run, taking notes on how they felt. I kept the run as uniform as possible and kept my use of the sandals as similar as possible to reduce the number of variables affecting my results. I wore them inside my house, hung out with my kiddo, and took them on the four 0.4-mile head-clearing neighborhood walks I take each day.

In addition to the above daily-driver test, I wore each sandal for an hour and took them each on a 0.4-mile neighborhood walk when my legs were beat to a pulp after my first ambitious 8-mile run. I also cycled through all these sandals after days of manual labor to test their effectiveness against general full-body soreness.

The Results

Best for Active Recovery

Hoka Ora Recovery Slide 3

The Ora Recovery Slide 3s were cushy as hell—just as you might expect from the brand that made us fall in love with maximalist shoes. The dual-density foam layup is made from a soothingly soft, sugarcane-based EVA midsole and a sturdier, more supportive EVA outsole. The shoe felt truly therapeutic during my sorest steps around the neighborhood. But it was actually the way these slides helped inform my steps that made me fall in love with them.

The Oras take advantage of their huge 33mm/27mm stack height to carve a serious rockered curve in the front. That helps roll your foot forward with every step. This mechanical aid felt like a hand from an old friend when my legs were achy and tired after a long run. I was able to walk it out further, giving the lactic acid more time to flush out of my system. Wearing these did make my legs feel better over the course of the day. It is worth noting that this rocker profile isn’t for everyone. I bought a pair of these for my dad, and he couldn’t stand the way they messed with his gait—and went back to his beat-to-hell Rainbow Sandals instead.

Best for Foot Injuries

OOFOS OOahh Sport Slides

While these slides were not as cushy as the Hokas or Crocs, they did deliver a top-three performance in terms of comfortable walking stride—even on the very first step. That’s thanks to the ample footbed. At first glance, the footbed looks almost comically large, but that extra material allows it to slope inward, creating a three-dimensional hammock for my feet. It delivered support and an extremely stable walking platform, but with an overall width that really gave my feet room to splay out on each step. This unrestricted feeling was appreciated on every walk, but particularly when my feet were swollen after my long run.

The OOah’s were the only recovery sandal I wanted to put on after I sustained an embarrassing toe-overuse injury from not clipping my toenails before a high-mileage week. The downside of that ample footbed and upper is that they felt sloppy during quick movements and were ankle-rolling machines when I was on the playground chasing my six-year-old.

Most Versatile

Kane Revive Active Recovery Shoe

It feels almost embarrassing to call anything “minimalist” in this test, due to how straight-up huge the three slip-on models are. With the Kanes, there’s also an added 10mm heel-to-toe drop—as opposed to the zero-drop Crocs and the 5mm drop on the Hokas. With that said, in terms of movement alone, there was something brilliantly minimalist about how these recovery kicks walked. Credit the heavy longitudinal channels on the outsole, which allowed the shoe to bend laterally with my foot during each step. That flexibility also provided a light stretch to my stiff arches when I walked. I also appreciated the light rocker in the sole, which helped move my steps along.

The Kane Revive is more of a shoe than a sandal, but it still breathed extremely well thanks to the myriad holes in the upper. But the thing I loved most about the show was its versatility. While the footbed texture and smooth ride made them feel like a recovery shoe, plentiful heel support and a more streamlined silhouette made them my favorite for running errands and pretending to be the Loch Ness Monster at my kid’s playground without worrying about rolling my ankle. The biggest con: The fully encased uppers were the toughest to get on and off of the bunch. If I were recovering from an ultra or a multiday objective, I definitely would prefer the ease of a slip-on.

Best Upper

Vionic Rejuvenate Recovery Sandal

The cushioned, two-part upper—which is adjustable via a Velcro strap—really set the Vionics apart from the rest of the sandals in this test. The customizable fit made my entire foot—not just the soles—feel cradled and loved, and the soft brushed cotton-like fabric interior also had a much more organic next-to-skin feel than the plastic uppers of the other slips. While every foot is different, I found its high arches took some getting used to.

For the first 150 to 200 steps, I felt like I was lurching forward, but once I adjusted, I did appreciate the light massage the hump gave the arch of my foot. Another perk is that these slips look much lest orthotic than some of the other options, thanks to that leather-looking adjustable upper. Wearing them made me feel more like a put together adult (when worn with jeans) than a middling-sporty dad when picking up my daughter from school.

Best Stimulation

Topo Athletic Revive

The pronounced, wavy ridges covering the footbeds of Topo Athletic’s Revives are designed to stimulate blood flow—which is why I turned to them when my feet were at their most swollen. The washboard-like texture provides a light massage with every step, which felt especially good on day three of my training plan when my soles were throbbing. Walking around in these babies seemed to positively affect the swelling.

The Athletic Revives feature a wide toe box, which also allowed my angry toes to splay out and relax. One downside: These lean more towards slippers than sandals with their rugged Vibram outsole and fuzzy upper, so I’m less likely to turn to them as a camp shoe. But in a hut setting? Now we’re talking; I’m already salivating about how they will feel after a long ski tour this winter.

Best Cushion

Crocs Mellow Recovery Slides

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The steps I have taken in these Crocs have been the softest, most marshmallow-y, and best cushioned of my life. The difference was so noticeable that I made audible pleasure sounds during my first test drive—delivering “oohs” and “aaahs” not yet out of my house. My feet visibly sunk into the footbeds like a fancy memory foam mattress when I first put them on, and they delivered Cadillac-smooth rebound with every single step. These slip-ons were the most luxurious of the bunch in terms of cushioning—and I could feel myself sinking into the cush with each step. That helped my whole leg relax, which translated into a tangible feeling of relief all the way up to my back.

They were my favorites when my legs were their most sore, both after long runs and after manual labor. As for downsides: The Mellows had the least breathable upper in the test, with only two small vents at the base and an ample amount of plastic over the top of my foot. As a result, my feet swamped out pretty badly on hot days.

What Are Recovery Sandals?

Recovery sandals are shoes that are easy to get on and off, are extremely comfortable to walk around in, and stimulate blood flow to your feet. All of the recovery footwear I tested, and most in this category, have versions of the following attributes to achieve those goals:

• Some type of raised surface in the footbed that stimulates blood flow at the bottoms of your feet.
• Cushy feel under foot
• A stable platform to walk on — usually from a wide exterior outsole
• A large, roomy, footbed.

Do I Need Recovery Sandals?

While each purchase has a nuanced answer based on individuals’ needs and budget, my short answer is: yes. If you have the money and don’t mind occasionally getting called out for wearing one of these pretty ostentatious styles in public, they are a great investment. If you are going to wear sandals anyway, why not wear a pair that at best benefits your athletic recovery with every dang step?

The post 6 Recovery Sandals That Are Actually Worth the Money appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Picture this scenario: You get through a tough workout on Sunday—whether it’s a tough round of 800-meter repeats or 16 miles at marathon pace—and, surprisingly, you feel fine afterwards.Ìę

The next morning, you’re a little stiff, but nothing too serious. You take a day to rest, and then head back out on Tuesday for an easy run.Ìę

Then, boom. Your legs feel like they’re made of lead, you’re sore all over, and what’s supposed to be an easy run feels like you’re wading through molasses. What the heck happened?!

This is what Cory Smith, running coach and founder of , calls “second-day syndrome.” The official term is delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, but he likes to use second-day syndrome because it nails home the point that the ailment often happens two days after a hard workout, which a lot of people don’t expect.

Why the Two-Day Delay?Ìę

Before getting to the bottom of why DOMS happens, let’s start with simple definitions. defines DOMS as, “A sore, aching, painful feeling in the muscles after unfamiliar and unaccustomed intense exercise.” Basically, whenever you lift weights, run a tough workout, go rock climbing, or do an activity beyond your current level of fitness, you’re creating tiny tears in muscle tissue. In response, your body releases chemicals, lipids, alongside white blood cells like cytokines, macrophages, and neutrophils to quickly repair those muscles. This flurry of activity in localized areas of the body also initiates an inflammatory response. The muscle tears, rebuilding process, and inflammation creates that soreness and stiffness DOMS is recognized for.Ìę

“The soreness peaks anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after the initial stress, so it’s common for runners to feel fine the next morning and think they’re all good and recovered,” Smith says. “But then, on that second day, you might feel worse than you did yesterday.” This is because there’s a delay in delivery of blood flow to the muscle also called the “inflammatory cascade.” Think of muscle repair as a slow ramp-up process; sometimes it takes a few days to reach peak soreness.Ìę

Is DOMS Inevitable?Ìę

Though it can be painful, annoying, and hindering, DOMS shouldn’t last long-term. In fact, it won’t be a recurring sensation.Ìę

“Eventually, through repeating the cycle of damaging and healing, you’ll grow stronger,” Smith says. “Your body is going to be accustomed to this stress and you’ll feel DOMS less and less.”

Depending on the severity of your workout and how often you repeat it, DOMS generally goes away in a few weeks. Your muscles heal, rebuild stronger, and eventually become accustomed to the intense exercise. Contrary to popular belief, just because that soreness goes away »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t mean you didn’t have a hard workout. Your body has just adapted and may require less recovery.

“If you’re not almost recovered from a normal workout on the third day, you probably went too hard,” Smith says. “Generally, it depends on the type of workout that you’re doing— some light temp work—you may only need a day in between and you’ll be recovered. Whereas if you’re doing hard 800s, you’ll probably need two full days to recover. For a long run at marathon pace, you might need three days.”

The Latest ScienceÌę

Since defining DOMS, research has traditionally been focused on muscle tissue damage. But a recent published by the International Journal of Molecular Sciences has shown that connective tissue, like deep fascia, may be more involved than previously thought. Deep fascia is connective tissue surrounding muscles, and it facilitates movement between muscles and acts as a pathway for blood vessels.Ìę

Authors of the study believe that they’ve found evidence that proves further research and effort needs to be focused on the fascia, rather than just muscle tissue. This also means that runners may want to pay more attention to their fascia, as it »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t respond to conventional static stretching, rather and mobility. It’s less about stretching individual muscles, but lengthening the connections made by the fascia.Ìę

There are several ways to target this connective tissue. One effective method is pedal during yoga: downward facing dog, the extended side angle pose, and the standing figure-four stretch.Ìę

Stay Stretched and Keep Moving

There’s no fix-all method to preventing DOMS, but recovery protocols may dictate how severe or sustained your soreness will be. Smith recommends static no more than six minutes after your run. It’s important to get those muscles stretched as quickly as possible after a run so they don’t tighten up. Tight muscles and bringing blood flow to the muscles. You need fresh blood and oxygen delivered to the worked out muscles, as it carries away the lactic acid buildup there. A massage gun can produce the same results.

“Movement is key! My go-to for runners is walking for 20 to 30 minutes after a hard workout, but an easy spin or recovery swim will also work,” says physical therapist and running coach Amy Parkerson-Mitchell.Ìę

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

recommends drinking 7-10 ounces of water every 10-20 minutes during your run, and an additional 8 ounces within 30 minutes after. When you sweat, you lose water, which is important for oxygen delivery to the muscles. Plus, water acts as a sort of medium within the body to deliver nutrients like amino acids and electrolytes to damaged muscles.Ìę

Focus on HeatÌę

You might be inclined to reach for an ice pack when you’re recovering from a long run, but Parkerson-Mitchell says that heat is key. In a comparing heat and cold therapies for recovery, researchers found that applying heat directly after a workout produced less muscle damage. Ice, on the other hand, is great for when you’re in the midst of DOMS, rather than before it happens, because it eases swelling and numbs pain.Ìę

There are two types of heat therapy: dry heat in the form of heating pads, and moist heat in the form of steam towels or a hot bath. Both are effective, but the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania says that moist heat works faster in changing the muscles temperature.Ìę

Don’t Rush It

Amy Parkerson-Mitchell says warming up and cooling down is more important than people think, and skipping these steps can increase the time required for recovery from DOMS. Dynamic mobility exercises like walking high-kicks, knee-to-chest, and walking lunges are good for cold muscles prior to a run because you’re moving your joints through their full range of motion. One of the biggest mistakes you can make with DOMS is going too fast too soon after a hard workout.Ìę

“This is why, with my clients, we do two hard workouts a week,” Smith says. “Typically, I give two days for runners to recover from a difficult run. If you do too much too soon, that’s when you lead into stagnant performance and overtraining.”Ìę

But the too-often overlooked component of DOMS is the negative implications it has on your mindset. You might feel discouraged by how tough a run feels when you experience DOMS, especially after conquering a longer, tougher workout just a few days prior. Don’t fret or feel like you’re losing progress—remember that what you’re experiencing is completely normal, and something you can minimize for a sustainable, long-term running life.Ìę

The post Feeling Terrible Two Days After a Hard Run? There’s a Reason….and a Solution. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

As the marathon season in the United States winds down, a lot of runners are thinking about their 2024 goals and structuring some well-deserved time off from formal training.

Judging by social media, many runners are now taking an “off-season” that provides more robust mental and physical recovery. This off-season is often considered mandatory, with most runners planning a few months of it before beginning formal training in the new year. But what exactly is an off-season?

What Is an Off-Season?

Truthfully, I’m not entirely sure. That term isn’t a formal vocabulary word from the world of running, meaning that you won’t find it in the coaching curriculum of USA Track and Field, the governing body for the sports of track and road running. It does say, however, that “time spent in non-training status should be minimized.” As we’ll soon see, most “off-seasons” only include non-training exercise.

I also didn’t ever hear that phrase from any of the 11 coaches that I had during my eight-year career running cross-country and track at both high school and collegiate levels. While we had one season “off” from formal competition—the summer months—this phase of was widely considered the most important training period of the year because it built the foundation of our endurance required while “on” season. But it was certainly never described as an off-season.

Curious to know how the term and concept of “off-season” is being used in some of my favorite running books, I took a look, and here’s what I found:

• In Training for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston, there’s no mention at all of the phrase.
• In by Jack Daniels, there’s no use of “off-season.”
• In by Pete Pfitzinger, he does not use the term “off-season,” but recommends “a few weeks of no running or easy training.”
• In by Brad Hudson—my favorite training book—he does mention the term off-season but recommends only one week off with plenty of cross training. He also disparages “off-season slackers.”

So, where does this leave us? Is off-season training something you need to plan or care about, or is it mostly a made-up phase of training popularized by Runfluencers?

The Main Problem with Off-Season Training

The fundamental sticking point with theÌę term “off-season” is that there’s no clear definition. It’s more of a colloquial phrase used haphazardly by more casual runners. Since you won’t find instructions on this topic from the sport’s governing body, nor are most well-recognized coaches using the term, it can mean almost anything.

I’ve seen respected coaches claim that the off-season is


• 8-10 weeks long
• A 20-50 percent reduction in mileage
• Time off completely
• An opportunity to try other sports

I’m not sure exactly how long an off-season should be, nor am I clear on exactly what kind of training (or lack thereof) should be included. There seems to be a wide variety of opinions, and none of them are wrong, but when a term has no real definition, it can mean anything. And when something can mean anything, it »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t really mean anything. We can’t expect recreational runners to apply a vague term appropriately to their training with any amount of success if the best coaches in the industry can’t even define it.

Thankfully, there’s a better option.

Instead, Let’s Say “Preseason”

In episode 325 of the , I had a conversation with running coach and 2:34 marathoner Matthew Meyer about this topic. Meyer wants to change our language and have us call this time period a “preseason.”

Suddenly, we now have a framework for understanding our goals during this critical phase of training. It’s neither a period off from running, nor is it a time to dramatically reduce our workload. It’s also not a static training phase that stays the same for a predetermined length of time.

RELATED: Why You Should Stop in the Middle of Your Run

Instead, our goal with “preseason” is to calibrate ourselves for the upcoming racing season. This preparation will look different based on our goals and our individual strengths and weaknesses.

Broadly speaking, a preseason block of training should follow a few fundamental principles. It should:

1. Address weaknesses like , lack of endurance or speed, or high injury risk
2. Build a foundation of general fitness that will support the specific demands of training in the future (this is often a good time to set “training PR’s” like weekly mileage, for example)
3. Progress mileage, long run distance, workouts, and even strength training intelligently (this is not a static phase of training)
4. Last about four to eight weeks (any longer and you’ll begin to miss out on other valuable forms of training)
5. Occur one to two times per year

Ultimately, your preseason should look very similar to your regular season of training. The main difference is the focus. During preseason, we may do far fewer high-intensity workouts (leading to more recovery and less injury risk) and plyometrics, but more overall mileage and cross-training. We may lift weights more often, but with less power. It’s a season of preparation, addressing weaknesses, and building .

RELATED: Best Exercises for Runners: The Ultimate Cross-Training Workout

When Can I Take Time Off?

Don’t worry, runners. I’m not recommending that you never take any time off. Far from it! In fact, I think regularly scheduled time off (and time for reduced training) is highly valuable.

, so a period off after a major goal race is a smart idea. Most runners will thrive on one to three weeks of no running post-race, with more time awarded to runners who are finishing a particularly challenging season that might have been longer, more intense, or more psychologically draining than usual.

After a few weeks of no running, preseason training can begin. The first one to two weeks will be easy, followed by progressive increases in volume and the reintroduction of workouts. Ultimately, runners should plan for about a month of time off and easy running before more formal preseason training begins.

Though the term “off-season” might not be formally recognized, it does point to the need for recovery and variety. So let’s redefine this season not as “off,” or one with a dramatic reduction in training, but more as a forward-leaning “preseason” that invests in our future goals while prioritizing our need for recovery today. This approach respects the recovery process, helps you prepare for the future, and addresses your weaknesses so you can keep improving for years.

The post It’s Time to Rebrand “Off-Season” for Runners appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

You just spent months building the fitness necessary to complete 26.2 miles. It’s tempting to want to keep the momentum going post-race—until you head out for your first run and start asking yourself, to Des Linden nine days after setting the Master’s record in the Chicago Marathon, “Errrm, where did all that fitness go?”

After a big running event, you don’t want to just hop back on the hamster wheel. Respecting the post-marathon recovery period is crucial to making long-term gains, and most runners will benefit from at least one to two full weeks off from running. That may sound interminably long (it’s not, and even more of a break can be beneficial, too), but here’s why your body needs that time-out in order to come back stronger.

Don’t Rush the Comeback

Unfortunately, just like the only true cure for a hangover is time, you can’t fast-forward through the post-marathon recovery period.

“People think they’re just recovering from that one day, but that’s not it,” says Toni Kengor, co-founder and full-time running coach for . “You’re recovering from the last four months or so that lead up to the marathon. I think people underestimate the physical and mental fatigue that occurs in that process, and that your body and brain need some time to just relax.”

Sore muscles are one of the major ways your body waves a white flag post-race, but being able to comfortably walk downstairs or sit on the toilet without holding onto the sink »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t give you the immediate go-ahead to get back to training. You may not be able to feel the recovery process after a certain point, says Laura Norris, a certified running coach, strength and conditioning specialist, and exercise scientist based in Colorado—but you better believe it’s still happening.

“ shows that a marathon triggers a systemic inflammatory response,” explains Norris. “In the hours and days after completing a marathon, various inflammatory biomarkers such as creatine kinase (an indicator of muscle breakdown), c-reactive protein (an acute inflammatory response), troponin (which indicates acute damage to cardiac muscles such as heart), and lactate dehydrogenase (another indicator of tissue damage) are all elevated.”

RELATED: Your Step-by-Step Post-Marathon Recovery Plan

Translation: Your whole body—including your musculoskeletal system, nervous system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and endocrine system—are all impacted by the highly stressful bout of prolonged exercise, says Norris. “You can’t rely on a metric from a singular system (say, less soreness in your muscles) to ensure that all systems are fully recovered,” she adds. “More than likely, soreness will subside within a few days, but that does not mean that other systems are ready for exercise again.”

In fact, it can take up to four weeks for your body to fully recover physiologically from “massive aerobic exercise,” older published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine determined. And that »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t even address the mental aspect of training and racing. “Your life has been dictated by this event for four months or so, and that’s on top of life stressors as well,” says Kengor. “That’s so mentally demanding, it’s important to give your brain time to relax post-race.”

Do You Lose Fitness by Taking Time Off?

Sorry to say it, but, yes, you’re probably going to lose a little fitness during the post-marathon recovery period. A loss of cardiovascular fitness and endurance starts to happen after as little as 12 days of no exercise, a 2020 published in Frontiers in Physiology found.

But your body needs that break, because runners aren’t meant to maintain peak fitness all the time. “Most marathon training plans push you into functional overreaching before the taper,” explains Norris. “If you jump back into hard training too soon after the race, you could risk reaching the point of non-functional overreaching or overtraining.” And that can lead to fatigue, declining performance, and a host of adverse health outcomes.

Fitness progress isn’t a linear journey; you’ll have periods where you’re increasing volume and intensity, followed by periods of de-loading or down time, says Kengor. Those rest or recovery periods—which allow your body to make the necessary adaptations to the stress you just put it under—are what allow you to continue pushing your limits.

“It’s similar to how we slow down to speed up,” Kengor explains. “A lot of people don’t trust that until they try it for the first time, and then they see the positive effects and wonder why they weren’t always doing it.”

You worked so hard to get to peak fitness, and the fear of losing it is understandable. But you’ll return to those high levels of fitness more quickly post-race than it took for you to reach them pre-race, older published in PNAS determined.

“Most runners return to their fitness baseline in a week after a marathon—even if they take that whole week off of running, has shown,” Norris says. “Even if you were to barely run for a few weeks post-marathon, fitness loss would not be significant. It takes a full six weeks for significant changes in musculoskeletal adaptation. Taking one to two weeks off post-marathon will not induce significant losses of fitness.”

How Long Until You’re Fully Recovered?

Every runner responds to a big physical undertaking differently. Most runners should plan on a minimum of 7 to 10 days off of running post-race, says Kengor. Yes, you might feel antsy, but before you jump the gun, remember that this is generally how long the pros take—Linden just happens to have a trail adventure in Japan on deck. Case in point: Last year, Aliphine Tuliamuk about taking a two-week break after the New York City Marathon, and Lauren Thweatt about taking three full weeks off after the Chicago Marathon.

But a “break from running” »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t mean no exercise at all! “Exercise is a part of post-marathon recovery,” says Norris. “In fact, once you get past the initial rest phase immediately after a marathon, the blood flow from exercise will help you feel better sooner. It’s a fine balance of not rushing back, but also moving soon enough to help your body feel good.”

RELATED: A Deep Dive into the Science of Marathon Recovery

Low-intensity activities like short walks, yoga, Pilates, and even light swims or gentle cycling lasting less than 45 minutes can be great for your body during that first week or 10 days post-race.

From a running perspective, the key is easing back into things. After two weeks post-marathon, Norris recommends re-introducing easy 30- to 45-minute runs. At three or four weeks, you should only be at around 50 to 60 percent of your pre-race average training volume. “I personally don’t even introduce any workouts until after at least four weeks,” says Kengor. Upping your intensity too soon also increases your risk of injury, adds Norris, but “by then, the musculoskeletal system should be able to tolerate harder effort and increased mileage. This may seem conservative, but the athletes whom I’ve implemented this with have long-term development and a low rate of post-race injuries.”

And if you feel terrible—à la Des Linden—on your first run back, that’s not only due to significant loss of fitness. “Instead, the necessary time off may result in some dampened neuromuscular activity and slight reductions in blood volume, which may make a couple runs feel temporarily harder, but both will rebound within a few sessions,” says Norris. “You may also feel bad because you are still recovering on a cellular level, or because your mind is still rebounding from the mental strain of training and racing.”

The guidance above is generalized. If you go out for a run and it feels forced, it’s OK to stop and/or extend your break, says Kengor. “I think people need to learn to pay attention to how they’re feeling mentally on those initial runs back because I think that’s an indicator of where you are in the recovery process. When you’re mostly recovered, your legs may not feel the freshest they’ve ever been, but it shouldn’t feel like a slog.” To reach that point, you may need more time than the runners you follow on social media, and that’s OK! Running will be there when you’re ready.

The post Don’t Skimp on Marathon Recovery appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Runners spend a lot of time on their feet, so it makes sense that they are so obsessed with their footwear. But it isn’t just that are integral to your running performance. Once you slip off your trainers, it’s best to change into something that will not only feel great, but help you bounce back.

The best way to do this is with a solid pair of recovery shoes. Designed to give you maximum shock absorption, comfort, and relief, these shoes are just what you will need and want after your toughest workouts. And even on rest days, who »ćŽÇ±đČőČÔ’t love a comfy shoe? To help you shop, we picked out our six favorite recovery shoes with options for every preference and season.

One of the most popular models on the market, the Oofos Ooriginals are favorite recovery shoes for a reason. They are made with a single piece of their signature molded foam which is highly effective at shock absorption. It also has a thong strap which works better than a slide for most people regardless of foot width. This is also made from the same material as the midsole so it is comfortable against the skin, and won’t rub or cause irritation. The shoe also comes in eight different colors including neutrals and some fun options like plum and neptune blue. It is machine-washable and designed to minimize odor so no worries if you want to slip it on after your smelliest, dirtiest runs.

One of the classics, the Ora slide is great if you need a super supportive arch. This shoe has the typical Hoka feel since it is made from injection-molded EVA like most Hokas are, and the arch is high, supportive, and feels great on tired feet. It also has the early-stage meta rocker which helps you to roll through the foot, increasing shock absorption and helping each step feel cushioned and comfortable. The midsole also has a slight lip which helps to keep the foot secure in the shoe, and built-in ventilation in the strap that helps keep your feet dry and slip-free.

This recovery ‘sneaker’ has a slip-on design that is breathable, durable, and highly cushioned. It uses a sugarcane-derived EVA foam which is a much more eco-friendly alternative to a traditional EVA. These shoes also have built-in acupressure which helps to stimulate and relax the feet with every step, and the perforations in the upper help keep your feet dry and aerated. The outsoles also have excellent grip which makes them a great pick for slippery and wet surfaces.

Most recovery shoes tend to be either sandals or slip ons which makes sense for post-workout, but if you want something a bit more secure, the OOmg Sport could be a better fit. This laced model is great for longer walks or those with a slender foot as it allows you to get an adjustable fit every time, and prevents any slipping or sliding. It has the traditional Oofos midsole, so it will feel just as great as the Oofos sandals underfoot, with the additional support of a fabric upper. This model is also fully machine-washable which makes for easy cleaning.

One of the first recovery sandals, we can’t forget the classic Adissage slides. These shoes have a nubbed midsole that massages the feet while you walk. Instead of just cushion, these shoes are designed to help the feet feel rejuvenated and relaxed while you walk. The midsole is made from a combination of EVA nubs and a soft, shock absorbing cloudfoam outsole. They also have a velcro strap that lets you adjust it to your ideal snugness. Unlike some recovery shoes which can be worn all day long, these are best used directly after a workout as they provide more of an acupressure experience than a comfort one.

While this is not marketed as a recovery shoe, it’s a great option for those who want something they can wear all day. Birkenstocks are notoriously supportive shoes that have cork soles that mold to the feet after long periods of wear. This eventually gives you a fit that feels custom to your foot. They also come in both soft and hard footbeds, though we recommend the soft version for recovery purposes or those that are used to a softer shoe. This model is a classic sandal style with adjustable leather straps. If you want an option for colder weather, we suggest the .

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