4. Don't Stretch; Do Yoga
A July 2011 study out of the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia, reinforced what most trainers had already come to believe: Stretching "does not produce clinically important reductions in delayed onset muscle soreness in healthy adults." Dynamic stretching (like these recommended Top Stretches for Trail Runners) may provide more benefits than static stretching, but research is currently inconclusive. Most trainers now preach dynamic stretching, but yoga, Shadle points out, is also excellent, engaging certain muscles while stretching others. Many of Shadle's clients have seen reductions in soreness and tightness by incorporating yoga positions into their recovery rituals. He recommends these three:
More: 6 Yoga Poses to Improve Your Run
Forward high lunge:
Lunge forward with your right foot, keeping your left foot grounded. Touch your chest to your right thigh and place your hands lightly on the ground. Flex both thighs, softening your groin. Hold for 30 seconds; switch sides.
Post pose:
From a kneeling position, bend your right leg behind you against a wall so that your right knee is on the ground. Place your left leg in front of you, resting your hands on your left knee. Flex your left leg, drawing it away from your right leg. Hold for 30 seconds; switch sides.
Reclined hamstring stretch:
Lying on your back, keeping both legs straight, raise your right leg in the air. Use a towel or belt to pull your leg toward you. Flex your thighs in both legs as you do this. Hold for a minute; switch sides.
5. Refuel with a Shake
After a run, you have a 30-minute window to shut down the stress responses of exercise, including cortisol, a hormone the body produces during exercise that inhibits muscle repair. Sims says that can be done by ingesting protein and carbohydrates to facilitate muscle replenishment. Sims' formula is to mix a glass of almond or rice milk, a heaping spoonful of whey protein powder, a little dark cocoa powder, some dried oats, frozen berries, and a shot of green tea extract in a blender. Don't forget to rehydrate. Sims recommends sipping on liquids for three hours after a workout. Make it water with a pinch of table salt and a squeeze of lemon. "You need sodium to make your body properly absorb the water," says Sims.
More: 4 Delicious Recovery Smoothies
6. Take a Cold Bath
This part may hurt a little. Filling your tub with cool water and a few ice cubes (you want the water to be about 50 degrees) and soaking for 10 minutes is believed to decrease inflammation by causing the muscles to contract. That action, Shadle says, pumps out metabolic waste. Cold water is also thought to help heal microscopic tears in the muscles. If freezing for 10 minutes is too much to take, at least avoid the more alluring alternative: hot tubs. A high temperature soak may feel good, but inflaming your muscles more with hot water doesn't help recovery. You'll wake up sorer and more sluggish the next day.
7. Get a Good Night's Sleep
The last thing you can do is also the most pleasant, sleep, as much as possible. The more you snooze, the more your muscles repair themselves. Noted University of Chicago sleep researcher Eve Van Cauter has found that healthy individuals who get too little sleep metabolized glucose less efficiently implying that sleep deprivation in athletes may impair recovery. Most young, healthy people, Van Cauter's research has found, should shoot for eight to 12 hours of sleep for at least two to three nights to fully recover from sleep deprivation.
More: 3 Reasons You Should Sleep More
Sign up for your next race.