Bio on Seán from Any Given Runday:

Seán is the co-host of the Any Given Runday podcast, Home of the Everyday Runner. He is also nearly 20 years in the fitness industry, working out of ABC Gym in Clane and running CSF Women’s Fitness Boot Camp in Castleknock. He’s a marathon runner and an all-round race junkie, competing in ultra marathons, overnight races, Hyrox, Spartan and more. And when he’s not training, he’s a wannabe farmer at home with his wife, cats and chickens!

Recovery On The Go

When I meet a new member of one of my classes or in the gym, I ask them to ease into the session. It’s the first week's excuse for them. I say that in jest, but there’s truth behind it. Regardless of their previous background or if they have trained at all, the last thing I want to do is crush them in a gym session. 

Yes, that’s bad for business because they won't want to come back. But with the first of anything, there’s a minimum effective dose, where you’re going to feel it afterwards. 

We can all remember that first session when it was sore walking up (and particularly down) the stairs afterwards. At the end of their first session, I usually reassure them that, even if they didn’t push too hard, they will probably still feel a little stiff and sore the next day, or it might be delayed until the second day. The best thing to do is to keep moving. I usually say there’s no pain like that first day pain…

That last part is not completely true.

When we push our bodies past a certain limit, we will more than likely feel it the next day. For runners, this shouldn’t happen over 80% of the time. You should be keeping your runs at a lower heart rate so you don’t overexert yourself. But that leaves the 10-20% when you push hard. To test where you are at, either in intervals or on race day. 

The mistake that people make is thinking that the recovery from that starts the next day.

It should start as soon as the race/intervals are over. You’ve just challenged the body. It’s in the rest and recovery that you get your gains. Besides, if you do nothing at this critical point, you will delay your return to training.

For me, that starts with the Epsom Salts Gel. Because if I don’t feel like I can move the next day, I don’t move. Ideally, I’d like to be in a bath, but that’s not practical after most races.

The Epsom Salts Gel is the catalyst for my recovery, which is why I love it. It’s also fragrance free, so it doesn’t smell like you’re in a sports changing room or the start of another race!

But there are many more practical benefits beyond the lack of smell. The Epsom Salts Gel helps with:

💧Reducing Muscle Soreness and Cramping. This is because of Magnesium, essential for ATP production, muscle contraction and preventing fatigue, all three of which are heavily affected when we train hard.

💧Both Arnica Tincture and Aloe Vera Leaf Juice have anti inflammatory properties that help you feel that relief sensation when you apply the Epsom Salts Gel.

I instantly feel the gel’s cooling effect and a sense of looseness when I apply it after a tough race. I try to make the time to apply the gel within 30 minutes after an event or a tough session, depending on when it is practical and when I can change my clothes. 

Usually, there’s always another race in my head or another training session, so it’s essential that I have my recovery checklist so I can get back to training, safely, as soon as I can. 

My checklist for recovery:

✔️ Keep walking/moving the legs after I have applied the gel to prevent blood pooling, maintain circulation until I can find a place to stretch later in the day

✔️ Refuel and Rehydrate: A 3:1 Carbs to Protein Mix (chocolate milk is great for this… if not very calorie dense!) and get some water into me. Bananas with a bagel (and a protein source) are also a good option here. Your glycogen stores deplete after hard efforts, and if you’re after a long race, you are potentially dehydrated too. You lose roughly 1 litre of fluid per hour of training, and you should consume 1.5 times what you lost. So if you’ve completed a half-marathon or more, an electrolyte or sports drink could be a go to here. 

✔️ If I know I can change my clothes quickly after a race, then that is when I will apply the Epsom Salts Gel. Changing out of your race gear helps prevent a temperature drop and reduces your discomfort. Fresh clothes and the soothing gel feeling are magic!

✔️ Prioritising sleep and fueling over the next 24 hours is crucial as well. 

If I have managed all 4 well, I can usually get a light workout or movement the next day. It all starts with the Epsom Salts Gel

💪 Here’s a quick, at-home, 10-minute routine that you can do the next day. Each exercise is hyperlinked so you can get a full demonstration. 

Start on your back and perform 6 reps of:

Glute Bridges
Deadbugs
Side Planks (x 20 seconds each side)
Cat Camels
Shoulder Taps
Spider Lunge Rotations
Single Leg RDLs
Reverse Lunges

Keep the movements slow and controlled. They will help deliver blood to your muscles and get you back to training… but always ease into that first session back!

If you are just getting back into training, I would recommend using Epsom Salts Gel after your first few sessions. For more experienced runners, you should not be pushing hard on your easy runs to need it after every session, but that means you should have the ability to push harder and smarter on your interval runs or progression long runs and using the Epsom Salts Gel will quickly start your recovery before your next easy run.

With the Dublin Marathon season just about to get started and the miles in my legs ramping up, getting my recovery right is more important now than ever.