A theoretical recovery-creep model which takes the distribution of dislocation link lengths into account is developed. The recovery process is assumed to be climb controlled. The glide process is critically discussed and is found to be an athermal process. As a consequence of the athermal glide process the model predicts a time interval with the strain rate equal to zero after a small stress reduction. The model is able to simulate the strain-time behavior both in the primary and secondary stage and to simulate the distribution of dislocation link lengths. The stress dependence of the model is evaluated.