Steve Magness is an experienced running coach and athlete. Here are notes based on his YouTube video, “The Science of Recovery for Workouts" linked at the end.

According to Steve, there are four things, A through D, to recover from. A and B are muscular, while C and D are endocrinologic, neurologic, metabolic, etc.

(A) Muscle soreness

  - Mm. are tender to touch. Muscular in nature; roughly from from too much or unexpected intensity.

Rx:

(1) adequate nutrition and hydration: restore glycogen & protein at optimal times, e.g. post WO (glycogen), throughout day (prot.) and just before bed (prot.);

(2) sleep (naps & overnight);

(3) foam rolling +/- massage, gently & carefully;

(4) brief isometric holds;

(5) pool work, using non-damaging movement, e.g., gentle aqua-jogging

—   

(B) Flatness/ lack of pop

This also is muscular in nature; it’s roughly from a lack of delivering varying levels of muscular tension during training.

It’s usually from too much volume, or from monotony of training. I note that monotony literally means “[merely] one level of tone,” i.e., just one level of tension.

Rx:

(1) adjust volume, e.g., less, or vary the length of easy running session;

(2) mainly, give the mm. more varied tone/ tension/ reactiveness. E.g., add some strides, plyo, fast feet, etc., but with NO added fatigue. You are reminding the mm. to be reactive, reminding them they can “pop.”

—

(C) Stress

The stress can be from any source. While training by definition is stressing the body into a catabolic state in order to cause it to adapt and build back better, prolonged elevation of cortisol levels keeps the body in a catabolic state and prevents anabolism.

Rx:

Let the body stand down. Give the body autonomic and cortisol resets. E.g.:

(1) appropriate rest, including sleep and naps (long and short);

(2) exposure to nature, socializing, easy joyful movement, music, hobbies, etc..

(3) Avoiding things that tend to prolong elevated cortisol levels, e.g., social media, news, life stressors (if you can)

(4) Avoiding too much total rest or not moving at all

__

(D) Lethargy

This is the body shutting down due to depletion, i.e., when the training is unsustainable due to insufficiency of resources.

Rx:

(1) Always consider whether in a medically depleted state(s), e.g., insufficiency of calories, protein, iron, testosterone, Vit D, Vit B, etc.; correct any of those

(2) adjust volume downward and in less fatiguing forms (split into smaller sessions (consider changing modality e.g. bike or arc trainer))

(3) Keep moving and getting small doses of pop as in (B) above, if possible

-

Steve didn’t say this, but I’ll add: (i) never lose the last 2-5 lbs (don’t be too lean); (ii) always have an off-season in order to give the body a chance to restore depletions.