I’ve seen American high school runners who finish a race, then within five minutes they jump in
their parent’s car and drive away from the meet. Don’t do this.
First off all, you want to show your teammates that you care about them. Don’t leave right after
your race. Don’t wander away after the race. Watch the other races and cheer on your teammates.
Most importantly, you should get together with your teammates after the race you have all run and
do a cool down jog together. This does not have to be fast. Jog at least 800 meters, nice and
slow. This will help clear out the lactic acid that is starting to pool in your muscles. Because
of this jog you will not be as sore and stiff the next day. Then after the jog, get together with
your teammates and do some light stretching and talk about what went well in the race and what you
could all do to make the next race even better.
Drink some water. Eat some good food, like a bagel or fruit. Try to avoid junk food at this time. Pizza, doughnuts, and candy are not going to help your body recover.
