Active Recovery // Make Trails An Integral Part of Training

After an intense workout, your body needs rest, time to recover. Those one or two “easy” days in your training schedule or after a race means light, slow running, right? But here’s the challenge. Most distance runners who seriously train tend to run their scheduled easy days way too fast…. continuing to push their pace out of sheer habit. If you run your easy days too fast, you’re increasing your risk of an overuse injury and may actually be impeding your performance improvement efforts. Anyone who has hit the dreaded “plateau” understands the frustration this can cause.

(Check it out – if you are running at an appropriate, easy pace you should be able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance smoothly without gulping for a breath.)

“Active recovery” encourages lactic acid removal and helps speed recovery after particularly intense workouts according to numerous studies published in the likes of Journal of Sports Medicine and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. But how do you combat the challenge many women in training face – of unintentionally taking your easy days too hard?

Max King, a 2:19 marathoner and winner of last year’s trail marathon championship suggests trail running as an excellent way to slow things down – and gain additional benefits from the unique challenges trail running affords.

According to King in an article for Running Times, it is true that running the softer surfaces of trails reduces the impact on your body, however the main benefits of trail running are that it “aids in muscle memory and builds your aerobic system, muscle endurance and recovery.” But perhaps the most important benefit in making trail running part of your recovery strategy is that it slows you down. According to King, “Running an easy-intermediate technical trail (meaning one that is a little curvy, rocky or rooty), forces you to slow down and take your time, putting a light training load on your system.”

Most of us focus on minimizing side-to-side movement and on going straight ahead as fast as we can. Trails have the benefit of changing your gait. These workouts get us up on your toes, leaping from side to side, and can therefore help activate the ancillary muscle groups in our legs and core that provide stabilization. Working these smaller muscle groups takes the load off of those muscles runners repeatedly work for forward motion. Development of these ancillary muscles can actually help take the load off your bigger (fast, forward-motion) muscle groups and reduce the risk of injury on hard road workouts.

Now, just how often you mix it up with trail running really depends on your own training. In general, the shorter the race you’re training for, the more often you can incorporate trail running on your rest days. King suggests that regular marathoners incorporate trails less frequently while in racing season and use trail running during off-season periods, and as a way to speed recovery after a marathon.

Of course, your choice of trails is important. Choosing a really tough technical trail for recovery day training doesn’t make any sense, so pick a flat, soft surface for easy recovery runs in between hard workouts and play with tougher trails during off-season or for longer slow training runs.

Finally, trail running can be very good for your head. Breaking the monotony of distance training on the road with soft winding tails will keep you fresh, provide mental relaxation, and get you emotionally ready for harder efforts ahead.

And remember – safety first when running trails. Tell someone where you’re running and when you’ll be back – or even better, run with a partner. Carry a cell phone if you can and never, NEVER use ear buds while running trails.

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