8 WAYS TO PREVENT SORENESS AFTER A RUN
It happens to everyone. We go on an intense run one day, and the next morning, we wake up with soreness everywhere. There are 2 reasons for the soreness in your muscles. The first reason is due to the lack of oxygen that your muscles receive during intense workouts, leading to lactic acid build up in the muscles. The second reason is due to small tears in your muscles, that your body needs to heal, which will strengthen your muscles.
In the end, soreness in your muscles is a good thing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to always be in pain. Here are some ways that you can prevent muscle soreness before, during, and after you run.
- Wear Compression Clothing During Your Runs
Wearing running gear such as compression tights and compression socks can help prevent soreness later on. Compression clothing can help reduce muscle micro-tearing.
- Stretch Before Your Run
Before you run, take some time to stretch out your muscles and warm them up. These stretches can help loosen your muscles and prevent micro-tears in your muscles. Make sure that you stretch your hamstrings and glutes.
- Cool Down
After you have finished your run, take some time to walk around to cool down. Take 10-20 minutes to just walk and do some light stretching after you have finished. This will relax your muscles and will ease them after the intensity of your run.
- Massage or Foam Rolling
Doing light massage or foam rolling after your run helps break down lactic acid build up and encourages blood flow to the area. Blood flow helps your muscles repair more quickly.
- Stay Hydrated
Constant hydration is known to help reduce the soreness of your run. It helps to flush out of the lactic acid that is built up in your muscles. Most experts recommend that you consume approximately 2 quarts of water for every hour that you run.
- Eat Right After You Run
Usually, you are hungry after a workout since you likely burned off quite a few calories and it’s best to eat as soon as possible. Eating protein after your work out can help your muscles build up faster after a run, making the recovery shorter.
7.Warm Epsom Salt Bath
Epsom salts are known to help ease muscle pain after a run. Follow the instructions that are recommended on your Epsom salts.
- Use Ice to Decrease Inflammation
Another great solution to decrease inflammation that can lead to soreness is through ice therapy. Place ice packets on your body and strap them on tightly with plastic wrap. Keep these on for 30-40 minutes.
Enjoying Training Before a Virtual Race
Half of the fun of doing a virtual race is taking the time to train before it. Part of training is dealing with the discomfort of soreness, but the positives greatly outweigh any of the negatives. Think about how energized your body feels while you run and the joy of accomplishing your training goals along the way. And nothing can beat the pleasure that you feel when you get that medal once you are done with your race.
