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What is recovery, exactly?

Why is recovery important for runners?

Which recovery tools are actually worth it? Experts weigh in

The bottom line

Recovery is not the most exciting part of a runner’s training program —after all, it’s literally just the rest you take in between workouts—but ensuring high-quality recovery is essential if you want to maximize the gains of exercise and generally feel better after a butt-kicking run.

When good recovery is your goal, you’ll find no shortage of tools and strategies that promise to deliver exactly that—from cold plunges and saunas to foam rolling, compression gear, and more.

But as with many things in the wellness world , not everything that’s trendy is actually beneficial. So which recovery tactics are truly legit—and which ones are overhyped?…