Obstacle runs are a lot of fun and excitement, but they also demand a lot from your body (and mind), especially from those of us who aren't exactly familiar with the inside of a gym. Because obviously, we don't do movements like the ones required of us at an obstacle run in our daily lives or even in our weekly trainings, right? And so, it's not unlikely you'll be stepping into the shower or bath the day(s) after and realise that your legs and arms are bruised and scratched and your feeling some muscles you didn't even know you had. So, we thought we’d share with you these 8 essential tips for a quick recovery after your run.

1. Get changed immediately: After the run, your clothes will be wet and fully covered in mud (if you did it right!). So, before you sit down and have a few drinks with you Viking buddy’s, you should put on warm and dry clothes.
2. Have a hot drink after: Most of our runs contain some water obstacles and in pretty much every obstacle run you’ll have to conquer a mud area. Unless you’re one to use the 'walk-by' or are very lucky to escape these obstacles, it’s likely that you’ll get sweaty, dirty and wet. Either way, what you should focus on is getting your core temprature up. At Strong Viking events there will always be coffee or tea at our concession stands. Or better yet, bring your own thermos with hot chocolate or warm soup!
3. Stretch out: Although stretching will be the last thing on your mind after crossing the finishline, it will play a major role in whether you can step out of bed the next day or not ;). It’ll just take 5 minutes of your time to stretch your legs, arms and neck so suck it up and do it!

1. “Roll out”: If you’ve got a foam roller, use it. If you don’t: an empty glass wine bottle (or anything similar) will do! And remember to always roll towards the heart. Yes, it can be boring and yes, it’ll be painful but if you want to be feeling like new again it’s essential for a quick recovery.
2. Eat something WARM with protein: It may be the warmest day outside and all you may feel like doing is rolling from your bed to the couch with a bag of chips (after all you deserved it!) but warm food is still beneficial! And remember that your muscles need protein for recovery so feed them right.
3. Drink a lot: It’s important to refill your water reserves. During the run, your body's lost a lot of fluid even when its cold outside or you've been in and out of water 5 times.
4. Congratulate yourself: You’ve just completed something that most people haven’t done or wouldn’t even think about doing. Be proud of yourself, well done! Oorah! So treat yourself and take some time to appreciate your body for what it's acheived.
5. Take time to recover: Make sure you have a free or quiet day after you’ve participated at one of our events – they can be really draining and the last thing you want to do is feel terrible at work or the playground with your kids, or a party...