A recovery run is a short, slow run done at an easy, conversational pace after a hard workout or race to promote blood flow without adding real training stress. It should feel deliberately easy, not like a workout.
It's a short, easy-paced run, typically 20 to 40 minutes, done the day after a hard effort like a long run or speed session. The goal is gentle movement, not fitness gain.
Slower than you think, slow enough that you could hold a full conversation the entire time. If you're breathing hard, you're going too fast for a recovery run.
Typically the day after a long run, race, or interval session, while muscles are still tired. It's a way to stay in a routine without piling on extra stress.
Yes, especially if you're genuinely fatigued, a full rest day or cross training can work just as well. Recovery runs are optional structure, not a requirement.