Recovery Plan

Take a break from the impact of running for four or five days, and cross-train three times for 25 to 30 minutes with activities that are low impact and will warm your muscles. Walking, cycling, and swimming are great alternatives.

Incorporate full-body flexibility exercises after every workout (yoga is perfect). Consider treating yourself to a massage and taking complete rest days as well.

Follow a "reverse taper" over the next two weeks and gradually increase your running time (distance). Start with an easy 30-to-40-minute run later this week to see how things feel. If you can run without aches, pains, or altering your stride, continue to gradually build your running time and distance with a few more 45-to-50-minute easy runs. If all goes well, by week three you'll be back to a solid foundation of miles.

You'll maintain your running fitness for the next round of half-marathon training by running three or four times per week for a total of 15 to 20 miles per week. A typical maintenance training week might look like this:

• Alternate long runs once per week (6 miles, 7 miles, 8 miles, 6 miles)
• One or two easy runs of 4 to 5 miles
• A moderate-to-fast run of 4 to 5 miles (fartlek, tempo, negative split)
• Easy to moderate cross-training
• Strength training twice per week, either on cross-training days or after easy runs

Recovery starts the minute you cross the finish line.

Everyone recovers at different rates and the speed at which we recover depends on many variables like the intensity of your race performance, sleep, stress, diet, age, and even the race climate.   It's a good idea to keep a log and track as many of these variables as possible.  You'll learn how to develop an efficient recovery plan that works for you.

Source: Coach Jenny Hadfield, runners world.com