Recovery Runs

Tuesday and Thursday are my usual days for recovery runs. But here's the deal. I feel crappy when I run them. Sometimes I think they're my worst runs of the week. I run them slow, so I'm not winded, but my legs are usually pretty tired. Ok, very tired --esp. the Thursday run which is following my "speedwork" Wednesday.
The question is: Normal? Just keep running them slow? Slower? Take the day off instead? How do you feel?
--I just wanted to use one.

I'll "edit" that "how do you feel?" question to say

How do your recovery runs feel?

I'll spare any smart a$$ from telling me "I feel fine today".

Here is a good discussion on the topic. I would add you are supposed to feel crappy, otherwise you would do a Tempo instead. The key is how you feel after. I typically can feel a little loose and fresh.

https://i-team.forumotion.com/t185-what-is-recovery

I'd say don't be afraid to take walking breaks as well. Maybe even walk the first half mile or so if you're really not feeling it. The key is to get some blood flow to your legs. Pace is not important.

I usually feel pretty crappy on my recovery runs as well, so you're not alone.

Thanks, Jerry. That was a great thread. For me, I know I need a day of slow, easy, running. That might be different for others. But, just when I think.."Oh, great! Today's a slow, easy, shorter day"....it doesn't end up being all that easy b/c I'm tired. I do think I'm running them slow enough though b/c I almost always feel ready to go for the next run --be it the Wednesday speed work day or heading into the weekends runs. In other words, I think I'm running the recovery runs correctly, I just wondered if it was normal for them not to feel easy even though I name them "easy." Maybe I just confused my question more.

momof5boys wrote:Tuesday and Thursday are my usual days for recovery runs. But here's the deal. I feel crappy when I run them. Sometimes I think they're my worst runs of the week. I run them slow, so I'm not winded, but my legs are usually pretty tired. Ok, very tired --esp. the Thursday run which is following my "speedwork" Wednesday.
The question is: Normal? Just keep running them slow? Slower? Take the day off instead? How do you feel?
--I just wanted to use one.

All my runs are recovery runs In all seriousness you are supposed to feel crappy on your recovery runs. You are recovering from a hard effort. But they are important. Think about teaching yourself to run on tired legs. Think about the last six miles of a marathon - tired, feeling crappy but you have to keep going. So I say keep running them slow!

I personally don't feel too awful on recovery runs, but more often than not, I definitely feel like taking a recovery day was the right choice. That said, I'll echo what people have stated is the purpose of these runs: to get blood flowing through your legs. Flush the toxins, keep the muscles loose, etc., but don't tax your cardiovascular system (to whatever extent that's possible).

Just take'em slow. the point is to get the blod flowing in your legs to help them recover from the work that you have put on them prior to that day. The next day after the recovery run you are supposed to feel refreshed and read to go back at it. I normally feel ok on my recovery runs. My issue is running slow enough.

I would think recovering from hard run or a long run or a hard, long run by seeing how your legs respond and communicate to you is the purpose of a recovery run. At least, it is to me. I see nothing wrong with a crappy recovery run. There's tons of crap in your muscles that needs to get flushed. What's the alternative, but not to run and let the blood naturally clear it out?

I would have to agree there are days that I feel like crap on my recovery runs. When that happens I adjust the pace to even a slower pace then normal. If I that doesn't work I pull the plug on the run and I just walk. Even when I decide to take a day off I still go out for a good long walk. Reason for that is just like Greg said, I feel that it is good to still get blood flow going through the legs to help with the recovery. For me if I don't don anything at all I will most like still feel like crap the next day I run.

How do you feel afterwards? I think that's the key. I often feel crappy on a recovery run, because, well, I'm recovering from either a long or hard run. As long as you feel better the following day, as opposed to further fatigued or sore, then the recovery run is serving its purpose.

Dave-O wrote:How do you feel afterwards? I think that's the key. I often feel crappy on a recovery run, because, well, I'm recovering from either a long or hard run. As long as you feel better the following day, as opposed to further fatigued or sore, then the recovery run is serving its purpose.

+1.

I mean I don't feel like running a race on the days I am recovering. Which is why we recover so we can run hard the next day(s).

Sunday I did a recovery run from my 18 [email=w/10@MP]w/10@MP[/email] the day before and my legs were still shot and I just wanted it to be over. Afterwards though I was fine and Monday's run was great.

I know the recovery run was the right choice because I feel like crap, at least for the first few miles. I'll stop and stretch, take walk breaks, and generally not care. Usually by the end of the "run" I feel much better and am raring to go.
There are days that are scheduled to be recovery but I feel great so I just run easy on those days and maybe toss in a few strides. But the days I feel like hell I drop all pretenses of doing any more than simply getting some blood flowing and working out the kinks.

I can understand on Tuesdays that you would be tired/fatigued. By the time I get to a recovery run, I usually need it so I feel as you say. It's the next morning that I feel much better. I am surprised you would feel this way on a THursday though if you had a recovery run two days earlier. How many days a week are you running?

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I think, as a whole, I'm running them correctly. To answer your question, John, I think I'm more tired the day after I do speed work or hill work -Wednesday. I usually run 8 - 10 miles on that day and I'm beat. I also don't recover near as fast as I used to.