Looking for the best recovery food for runners? You’ve come to the right place.

Recovery nutrition has become a key performance component now that athletes have access to things like recovery centers, recovery drinks + bars, and recovery experts. However, it is not a “one size fits all” concept!

Misguided recovery eating practices can put a drain on the wallet, and can lead to unintentional consequences such as weight gain and/or failure to recover fully and optimally.

To avoid these consequences, it is crucial to understand why we refuel, and how best to do it!

Why We Need the Best Recovery Food for Runners

Food-based recovery in between sessions fulfills one of the following two goals:

Restoration of body losses and changes caused by a work-out

This is our aim when we’re in the thick of race season. We want to bounce back as quickly as possible so that we’re always ready to push the envelope on our next run.

To do this, our main goal will be to restore performance levels as efficiently as possible so that we’re ready to go for our next session.

Adaptive responses to the stress and/or stimulus provided by a workout

During the “off-season,” our recovery nutrition falls more under this category. We want to see long-term improvements in strength, speed, and endurance, so we’re eating to ensure our body improves as it recovers.

Because of this, think more gradually, aiming to, over time, make the body better at what it does.

Remember, lighter workouts do not create a major demand on your body. So our goal is not to replenish everything we think our body has lost as fast as possible. Instead, focus on foods that will help your body adapt and improve.

Refueling in a Nutshell 

Demanding exercise (either intense or long in duration) depletes muscle glycogen – a critical muscle fuel that must be restored if the athlete wants to jump back in soon.

Even when a carbohydrate supply is available, muscle glycogen restores at a rate of about five percent per hour. Therefore, it can take around 24 hours for a depleted muscle to refill its glycogen stores.

How Soon Do I Need to Eat?

If your recovery falls more into the adaptation category above, it’s alright to lose a few hours of active recovery. Maybe there are no healthy foods around right after your workout, or you’re managing a busy schedule that day.

Get some good recovery meals in when you can, and don’t stress!

However, if you are in the thick of marathon or ultra training and have another workout coming right around the corner (in 8 hours or less), it is imperative to start refueling as early as possible.

Best Recovery Foods for Runners

Believe it or not… carbs! Start consuming good, complex carbohydrates soon after your session finishes.

Aim for a recovery snack or meal providing carbs equal to around one gram per kg body weight: e.g. 50 grams for a 50 kg (110 pound) female, 80 grams for an 80 kg (175 pound) male.

If you adhere to more of a high-fat/low-carb diet, you can start with a little less than the above formula and see how you feel, and then work up or down from there.

Similarly, if you do minimize carbs in your diet, time them so that the ones you do eat come right after your workout. Your body will thank you!

Our Favorite Run Recovery Foods

Now that we have all that info, let’s get cooking! Below is a list of our favorite foods for muscle recovery. Incorporate some or all of these into your meals and snacks into your running training plan, and get ready for your next good workout!

Incorporate These Run Recovery Foods into Your Routine

Keep these run recovery foods on hand to make it easy to make a post-run smoothie or meal. Make it a regular part of your routine to consume the right nutrition post-run, and you’ll find yourself bouncing back faster and hitting new PRs in no time.