Over the last few weeks I have been hitting some big miles for Marathon training including several 2.5 hours runs and couple north of 3 hours. Unfortunately as great as these workouts are it has been taking me way to many days to recover.

Recovery is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of a well rounded training program for the competitive athlete. Day and day out training, work, home, and life stresses can increase the fatigue that a rider experiences throughout the day, and can minimize the effectiveness of the workouts performed. To realize the most of your training program, effective recovery techniques can lessen the stresses of daily life and can help to prepare you for the next day's workout.

Here is a list of top-10 techniques that Gary Tingley USA Cycling Level 2 / Certified Power-based Training (CPBT) Coach recommends on a daily basis. Just because he is a cycling coach ... the concept is the same for runners, triathletes and other athletes.

1. Nutrition – replace glycogen with a sports drink within 30mins-2hrs post ride at the rate of 1.5g carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour for up to 4 hours. I prefer a bottle of Fluid, a Coke or bottle of Cytomax.

2. Clean up – shower, or after a race/training ride where I cannot immediately shower, I’ll use a few baby wipes to clean up. Baby powder – keeps things dry.

3. Nap – a short 20-30min lunchtime/afternoon nap can be beneficial.

4. Stretching – improves mobility, flexibility, eliminates stiffness.

5. Massage – it is worth it if you need work done. Also, “the Stick” and Foam roller.

6. Compression socks

7. Ice – if I am feeling particularly sore, I’ll ice my joints and/or muscles immediately after a ride.

8. Hydrotherapy – a warm bath can work wonders for a sore body.

9. NSAIDS – Advil/etc. can help with pain, but use sparingly, stomach ulcer risks involved.

10. Sleep – aim for 8 hours per night, no more than 9, no less than 7.5