Trail running can cause severe fatigue in its participants, so it is essential to allow yourself some rest time between two sessions. By continuing to read this article, you will discover what recovery is for after a trail, as well as different ways to recover effectively before your next race!
What is the purpose of recovery after a trail?
Training voluntarily exposes our body to stress, and a session can be more or less demanding depending on the goal of the session. Following intensive training, our energy reserves (mainly glycogen) are reduced and it is possible to be more or less dehydrated. In addition, our muscle fibers may have suffered micro-lesions .
Recovery after a trail is therefore necessary in order to recover optimally , before starting a new session. Finally, by promoting good recovery, we actually optimize overcompensation, this determining phase where the body regenerates to exceed its initial level.
Know how to assess your level of fatigue after a trail
It is necessary to know how to assess your level of fatigue after a trail, in order to adopt the most suitable recovery method. It is about knowing how to listen to your body to avoid any injury .
The fatigue felt after a trail can vary according to several parameters such as our habits, our psychological state, our metabolism, or even the way we hydrate and our nutrition. The level of fatigue obviously varies according to the race carried out, the more tired we feel, the longer the recovery will be .
After a trail, our body needs time to recover, so we must take into account the difficulty of the session to adapt the rest period.
Our advice for recovering well after a trail
Rebalance your body
Recovery after a trail involves regaining your body's balance, after this event has drawn on our body's reserves. Firstly, it is advisable to hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water, immediately after the race, which also facilitates the elimination of lactic acid and waste produced by the body during the effort.
It is also important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, without forgetting to listen to your body.
A strong desire to consume sugary foods after a trail run can reflect a real need in our body, which demands what it needs to recharge its batteries.
Recover actively
Active muscle recovery involves doing light activity, with the aim of getting back into shape after a trail. For this, it is possible to do an hour's walk or a bike ride , for example. This method allows our body to recover more quickly.
For good active recovery, it is advisable to take care of your heart rate. by stabilizing its frequency at approximately 70% of its maximum heart rate (MHR). This rhythm is ideal for facilitating the rapid elimination of waste by the body , thanks to better oxygenation of the muscles.
Some sports are ideal for active recovery, such as “weight-bearing” sports. Weight-bearing activities are those that protect the joints from shocks and allow for faster recovery, such as swimming or cycling . Practicing this type of sport during active recovery is ideal for getting back into it gently after a trail run.
Recover passively
Passive recovery is a method that consists of letting the body rest completely, in order to allow it to recover gently from the effort made during a trail, in particular by ensuring that our heart rate does not exceed 60% of our MHR.
This method is particularly recommended after a very long or intense trail. This involves not practicing any sport for several days, simply going about your daily activities. In addition, passive recovery promotes mental recovery after a trail , by completely disconnecting from your sporting activity.