My schedule sometimes requires me to run late at night… like midnight (sometimes later). My feet and legs always feel like crap in the morning.
Yesterday I ran in the afternoon, and this morning they don’t feel bad at all.
Anybody aware of any physiological reason(s) why it’s not a good idea to run, then go straight to bed? I would think that running then being horizontal for 8 hours would be a good thing, but recent experience is pointing to ‘not really’. Might it have something to do with a lower post-workout heart rate (while I’m sleeping)?
One thing I will say is that it’s likely got something to do simply with the fact that there’s a difference in waking up 6 hours after the run vs. 16+ hours after your run.
But I do wonder whether there’s a recovery disadvantage to doing what you describe (running then sleeping…or getting in your car for a long drive home). If so, it’s probably like the reverse of wearing compression gear.
I think (my guess) that compression gear helps recovery because it speeds the velocity of blood through the legs. It’s probably not changing the volume of the blood flow, just the velocity. Sleeping right afterwards would dramatically decrease the velocity. Perhaps this has an effect on the rate of repair to the tissues?
From what I have heard/read, it is better to sleep right after a run (after refueling of course). A lot of elite runners take naps after there workouts and their reasoning is that is helps in the recovery process. I don’t know if they have any hard data to support that (I don’t either), but I doubt they would do that if it hurt.
In your particular case it may be the fact that you run and then go straight to bed. Do you eat/drink anything before you go to bed?
I really enjoy running late as well. I’m not one of those people who can get up early morning and work out. The last time I was up at 5:00am was the last time I stayed up until 5:00am.
bwain, I have a nice big glass of chocolate milk immediately after every run.
jyeager, I was kind of thinking the same thing, but trying to reconcile it with the “naps are good” mantra.
I run some days between 22:00 and 23:00 pm. For me it is key to not red line at all. If I run easy I sleep well, if I make it a hard set I sure do sleep but I will wake up couple of times during the night and in the morning I feel crap as well.
The reason you were probably sore is because you went to bed with lactic acid in your muscles. You may know that it helps to cool down after a race because it will help remove lactic acid build up, well when you run earlier, you will continue to move around all day, essentially “cooling down” and removing that lactic acid build up.