When do we get faster? Many would say we get faster by training hard, working out and pushing ourselves. This, though, is not entirely true. When we exercise, our body breaks down muscle tissue, which is then rebuilt stronger when we are resting. The truth is we get faster during the periods in between working out.
This recovery process begins immediately after a run is finished. When a runner stops exercising, her body begins searching for nutrients to replace the calories she used during her workout. It also demands protein to begin rebuilding those muscles she broke down. It is imperative that once we complete exercise, we get in at least a small amount of food (several hundred calories) within a half hour. If we wait much longer than that, our body will not recover properly, thus we won't get the most out of our workout.
That food that we intake shortly after completing an exercise is sometimes called a "window snack," because it occurs in the short window after completing exercise when it is necessary to take in calories. Ideally, that snack will incorporate both carbohydrates (which were lost during exercise) and protein (which helps rebuild muscles). The ratio of Carbs : Proteins should be in between 3:1 and 4:1 (so that means there should be 3-4 carbs for each protein you intake). Here are some examples of good snacks for post-run:
- Chocolate Milk- A timeless favorite of endurance athletes, chocolate milk is a delicious way to get your proteins and carbs quickly post-run.
- Peanut-Butter and Jelly Sandwich on whole-grain bread- The peanut butter provides ample protein while the jelly and whole-grain bread are easily digestible carbs (Note- the peanut butter can be substituted for many other nut-butters or sunflower seed butter).
- Carrots and Hummus- If you prefer a savory snack after working out, chowing down on some hummus and carrots is a great option.
- Endurox or Hammer Recoverite- These are both recovery drinks developed specifically for use after endurance workouts. The nice thing about them is that they come in powder form and do not require refrigeration. So if you have a locker at the gym these would be nice options to just throw in so you always have them after working out.
Finally, do not forget the importance of rehydrating post-workout. When we run we lose a lot of water and if we aren't careful about replacing it, our recovery won't be as effective as it should be!