PUBLISHED 07/07/2005
A faster, colder, way to recover from your long runs
When you train for a marathon, you have to do long runs. The problem: It takes a couple of easy days to shake off the leg soreness. Is there a faster way to get your muscles back on track? Yes, but it's not for the faint of heart.
The change: Taking an ice bath after a workout, rather than a hot shower.
What to do: Fill your bathtub with 6 inches of water, dump in a tray or two of ice cubes, and slither in. Make sure the water covers your heels, Achilles tendons, calves, hamstrings, and buttocks-the places most likely to feel tight after a long run. Stay in for 5 to 10 minutes. Says physical therapist and ice bather, Clint Verran, "The first few minutes are agonizing. Most times I bite into a towel. But it's effective, and you'll feel a noticeable difference in your muscles the next day." (Hey, it helped Paula Radcliffe set a world marathon record.)
The payoff: The ice bath reduces much of the soreness. "The cold initially causes your blood vessels to constrict," says Verran. "After about 5 or 10 minutes, the blood vessels in the muscles start to relax, allowing your legs to gradually return to normal. This results in a 'pumping action' that rids your muscles of by-products, and makes your legs feel springy the next day."
Postscript: Continue to cross-train for the next couple of days, and don't forget the ice bath after your marathon.
