After your long run is complete, the temptation to crash on the couch or get right back to work is strong. You finished your workout, so there’s nothing left to do, right? Wrong.

…you can consider what you do immediately after your long run as the back half of your workout.

Arguably, you can consider what you do immediately after your long run as the back half of your workout. Think about how you approach recovery as the next step to actually make gains in your speed and endurance, or your ticket to staying sore and depleted for days.

We asked run coaches and sports dietitians to share their biggest no-nos after a long run, and what you should do instead. Here’s what to avoid.

Assuming Your Hunger Cues Are Accurate
“A lot of runners don’t feel hungry after a long run,” says registered dietitian Ashley Leone, who focuses on sports nutrition. But just because you don’t feel hunger doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Post-run, the lack of hunger cues can be due to hard exercise suppressing your hunger hormones, or due to a bit of gut distress and fatigue from the run itself. But you still need to refuel to start the recovery process, so try to override the feeling of not being hungry.

“Runners will be more likely to nibble on some fruit and feel like they’re done refuelling, but they actually need at least a small meal,” Leone says. While you need carbs, and fruit provides those, you also need some protein.

Just be careful you don’t only eat protein. “Another huge mistake runners make is focusing solely on protein postrun,” says registered sports dietitian Carol-Ann Rolle. She sees lots of runners buying whey or plant-based protein powder to simplify postrun fueling, but that often leads to skipping necessary carbohydrates.

“Postworkout fuelling has two phases: Phase one is carbs. Your body has just burned through so many of your stored carbs, and your glycogen stores need replenishing. Phase two, get protein in,” Rolle says.

Leone’s favourite recommendation for a post-run snack, which is also great for those who don’t have an appetite, is chocolate milk. It’s rich in both carbs and protein, and for most people, it’s easy to consume, even when you’re not in the mood to eat.

Wasting Time Before Refuelling
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to nutrition: Don’t wait until hours later to eat. “Timing is so important,” Rolle says. “When we finish our run, our body right away wants to replenish those glycogen sources. It wants to replenish our lost carbs.”

She recommends eating within 60 minutes of finishing your long run, but the sooner the better, especially because most of us get busy and distracted if we stop to check email or start a home project.

“I remind people the timer for that fuelling window starts when you stop your watch, it doesn’t start when you get home,” says Rolle.

Staying on the Couch the Rest of the Day
“If your training is balanced and fitting well in your life, you should be able to go on with your day and socialise, play at the park with kids or your dogs, or go for a walk,” says ultrarunner and UESCA-certified run coach, Jenny Quilty. “If you feel you can’t move post-long run, you should reassess your recovery strategies or training load to best support you still being able to manage day-to-day life and fun activities post-run.”

She adds that your biggest long runs and workouts are exceptions: After a race or your hardest/longest run to date, you may need a bit more couch time. But if every long run takes you out for the rest of the day, you’re likely pushing too hard and may need to reassess your training plan or dial back the intensity on those longer runs.

Remaining at least somewhat active for the rest of your day can also work in your favour. A small study on nine men suggests minimising extended periods of sitting after strenuous exercise may help reduce recovery time.

Chugging Water and Then Forgetting to Hydrate Later
After a long run, a lot of runners come inside and immediately start downing ice water, especially on hot days. But Leone points out that you actually absorb fluids better if you are taking them in gradually, not all at once, which is why you should sip slowly.

“Most of us can only absorb around a litre of water per hour,” she says. So, if you down a couple of glasses of ice water post-run, you’re not only less likely to be able to absorb that water, but you’re also more likely to just pee it out because your body simply can’t process it fast enough and dumps it out instead.

When you down water post-run, you’ll also feel fuller, making it harder to take in the carbs and protein that your body needs, says Leone.

If you regularly feel the need to drink a lot of water post-run, she adds that it’s a sign you need to drink more during your runs.

Also, don’t just drink that glass and forget about drinking the rest of the day. “Often, people rehydrate right after their run, and call that good for rehydration,” says registered dietitian Morgan Meneghetti. The problem with that is the body is continuing to process nutrients and water for the rest of the day. “Then, we fall into dehydration later in the day because our body’s still trying to process. So I say, start with a big glass of water, but focus on steadily hydrating for two to four hours after your run.”

Frequent trips to the bathroom post-run can also signal you’re not absorbing water because you’re low on sodium; we need sodium in our bloodstream to absorb water. “A big mistake people make is drinking plain water after hard training,” says Rolle. Instead, drink liquids with electrolytes to help replenish those lost through sweating, especially if you’re a heavy sweater, she says.

Not sure if this is you? Check the colour of your pee: If it’s very light (nearly clear) or clear, you’re likely in need of more sodium. The goal is to keep urine a pale yellow colour.

Comparing Your Strava Stats
If you’re someone who loves to spend time scrolling Strava, that’s great. It’s a fun platform. But Quilty notes that she sees a lot of runners finish a long run feeling thrilled with their effort… until they upload it and see their stats.

“Stop shifting the script of how your run went based on how the file looks online,” Quilty says. If your average pace isn’t what you expected or someone ran the same route faster than you, don’t let it take up mental space or create negative feelings around your run because of it, she adds. It’s great to upload your data, just don’t let the stats from your run ruin your day.

Jumping Right Into an Ice Bath
Quality research on the effectiveness of ice baths after a run is pretty limited and may come down to the placebo effect if you prefer cold water submersion. But some coaches suggest skipping them, particularly right after a long run.

“I’ve been against ice baths for over a decade,” says Alex Ullman, cross-country coach at the University of Waterloo and a former collegiate runner. “Yes, they make you feel good for a bit, but icing immediately after a tough run shuts down the crucial inflammation your body needs to get stronger. I think they should only be used in the down week after a major race or training block, not during.”

Some acute inflammation post-run is good for your body. It’s a healthy response to exercise, helping you recover, and it’s usually short-lived. Instead of jumping in a tub full of ice, shift your focus to recovering with other tactics like refuelling or even stretching.

Indulging in the “Recovery Beer”
Sad, but true: the postrun recovery beer or shower beer is a bad idea. “I see many runners treat long runs as a free pass to indulge in alcohol or junk food, which can seriously stall progress,” says Ullman. Alcohol has been shown to raise cortisol levels and blunt muscle protein synthesis, both of which slow down your body’s ability to recover.

While junk food isn’t always bad, if you’re also reaching for the doughnuts and skipping protein, Ullman explains that you may end up full and unlikely to add in the fuel your body is really craving. “While that ‘I earned this’ feeling is legit, the muscles actually crave complex carbs and protein within that critical 60-minute window to kickstart repair,” he says.

Add a protein shake to the doughnut, and you have a more complete recovery meal. And wait until you’re well on your way to recovery (you’ve rehydrated and had your carbs and protein) before you crack open that beer.

Immediately Going Back to Work/Life
If you’re not a professional runner with no other demands on your time, you’ve likely fallen into the trap of skipping all thoughts of recovery entirely because life is happening the moment you hit stop on your run watch. But that will slow you down in the long run, says Peter Glassford, registered kinesiologist and endurance coach. “We need slack in the system, or your nervous system is going to be on overdrive,” he says.

Make time to cool down after your run, with either a slow recovery jog, cooldown stretches, or a mix of both.

Also, take time to clean up, as wearing your sweaty clothes post-workout increases your chances of a yeast infection. Get in the shower ASAP or at least keep wet wipes and a change of clothes on hand for a quick cleanup if you have a long drive home.

It’s not that you need hours of chill time post-run, but you do need enough time to calmly clean up, have your meal, and decompress before you get back to work, even if that means cutting your run five minutes short to give yourself some breathing room.

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