Most runners measure progress by miles completed or pace improved. Training plans are built around long runs, speed sessions and pushing physical limits.
But according to Therabody founder Dr Jason Wersland, the real progress doesn’t happen during the workout at all.
“We don't get stronger in the gym or when we're running,” he explains. “We get stronger when we recover.”
It’s a philosophy that has become a guiding principle for athletes across endurance sport. Training provides the stimulus, but recovery is what allows the body to adapt, rebuild and ultimately become stronger. For runners chasing personal bests or simply trying to stay injury-free, that distinction matters more than most people realise.
The Physiology Behind Recovery
Running places significant stress on muscles and connective tissues. Every stride causes microscopic damage to muscle fibres, particularly in the calves, hamstrings and quadriceps. But that damage isn’t a problem — it’s actually the mechanism that drives improvement.
As Wersland explains, exercise creates these tiny microtears in muscle tissue. During recovery, the body repairs them, allowing the muscles to rebuild stronger and more resilient over time.
This rebuilding process doesn’t occur while you’re running. It happens afterwards — during rest, sleep and recovery practices that support the body’s repair systems. Recovery also plays a wider physiological role. It can boost the immune system, help regulate hormones and reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that can interfere with muscle repair and overall recovery.
In other words, recovery isn’t simply about feeling less sore — it’s essential to how the body adapts to training.
Treat Recovery Like Training
Despite its importance, recovery is often treated as an afterthought. Many runners focus heavily on their workouts but leave little time for what comes afterwards.
Dr.Wersland believes recovery should be built into a runner’s daily routine rather than something saved for rest days.
“Recovery should be part of your daily routine, not something you will ‘get around to’ later in the week,” he says.
“If you run in the morning, you should do something in the evening. You can stretch, you can use your Theragun. Just don’t wait too long or you’re already behind.”
This simple shift in mindset can dramatically change how runners approach their training weeks. Instead of seeing recovery as optional, it becomes part of the process — just like the workout itself.
The Five-Step Mindset for Better Recovery
Dr. Wersland’s advice for runners centres around making recovery consistent and practical.
Rather than complicated routines or expensive treatments, the focus is on daily habits that help the body restore itself. Stretching, mobility work, massage or even simple relaxation techniques can support muscle repair and circulation.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s consistency.
Recovery practices that take only a few minutes a day can help prevent tight muscles from building up over time, reducing the likelihood of injury while keeping the body ready for the next training session.
The Rise of Recovery Culture in Running
In recent years, recovery has become one of the fastest-growing areas of the sports and wellness industry. Elite athletes now use everything from compression systems and percussive therapy to cold immersion and breathwork to help accelerate recovery.
But the underlying principle remains the same regardless of the method.
“Recovery is where real progress happens,” Dr. Wersland says when discussing how athletes adapt to training stress.
For marathon runners in particular, that insight can be transformative. Long runs and high weekly mileage place enormous strain on the body. Without effective recovery strategies, fatigue accumulates and injuries become more likely.
When recovery becomes part of the routine, training becomes more sustainable — and performance improves as a result.
Training Smarter, Not Just Harder
For decades, endurance sport celebrated the idea of pushing through pain and fatigue. But modern sports science has shifted the conversation toward sustainability and longevity.
Today, the smartest runners understand that improvement doesn’t come from training harder alone. It comes from balancing stress with recovery.
That means listening to the body, building recovery habits and respecting the repair process that happens after every run. Because as Dr Jason Wersland’s mantra reminds us, strength isn’t built during the workout.
It’s built afterwards.