What to take after a hard session?
After a hard session — intervals, threshold, a fast long run — your body has drawn on glycogen and taxed the muscle fibres. The recovery priority is clear: reload, repair, rehydrate. What you take, and above all when, depends on the session's real intensity and how close your next workout is. Here's how to dose it well without overdoing it.
The priority in the first 2 hours
In the two hours after a hard session, take carbs to refill glycogen and around 20 to 30 g of quality protein to support muscle repair. Rehydrate with water and a little sodium, all the more if you sweated heavily. If you're not hungry right after the effort, a recovery drink or liquid snack often sits better than a solid meal, until a proper meal a bit later.
Back-to-back or a rest day?
The urgency depends on your schedule. If you have another session within 24 hours, fast reloading becomes the priority: don't delay. If the next day is a rest day or an easy run, your total intake across the day matters more than precise timing, and a simple balanced meal is enough.
Common mistakes
- Taking nothing after a big session and arriving 'empty' at the next one
- Sticking to carbs with no protein after an intense effort
- Neglecting the hydration and sodium lost in the effort
- Overdosing supplements when a meal would do
- Rushing recovery when the next day is a rest day
Practical checklist
- Carbs + ~20-30 g protein within 2 h
- Rehydration with water + sodium based on sweat
- Liquid snack if no appetite right after
- Full meal soon after to finish recovery
- Tight timing mainly if turnaround < 24 h
FAQ
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