Recovery for Half and Full Marathons

This past weekend, many of my friends and clients participated in the Country Music Half and Full marathons. Congratulations to them all! Now begins the process of recovery. Recovering from a half or full marathon is as much a process as training for race day. Recovery begins the second you cross the finish line, and complete recovery can take from a couple of weeks to a full month. Follow these tips to a efficient recovery:


Immediately following the race:

• Once you've crossed the finish line, KEEP MOVING! Take at least 10 minutes to keep walking around. Stopping suddenly can cause fainting or cause blood to pool in the veins of the legs. Slow, steady movement also helps prevent the build-up of lactic acid. 
• Be sure to replace electrolytes, potassium and sodium. Grab a bottle of your favorite sports drink to help rehydrate and replenish your body. 
• Within 30-45 minutes of finishing, EAT! The body will be VERY receptive to being refueled. Choose something rich in carbohydrates, lean in protein and low in fat to help replenish the body's energy stores and to rebuild muscle damage. Examples: a bowl of rice with lean chicken or a bowl of healthy cereal with milk. If you just don't feel like eating, then enjoy a nice tall glass of chocolate milk. The carbohydrate to protein ratio of chocolate milk is darn near perfect for recovering muscles.

 2 hours post-race:

• Give yourself the pro-athlete treatment. Draw yourself a lukewarm bath. Soak and add ice cubes. While it might not sound entirely enjoyable, it's a really efficient way to soothe tired muscles and help prevent swelling. The pros know!

3+ hours post-race:

• Once the body has had time to replace glycogen and fluid levels, it's safe to take an anti-inflammatory product. Avoid taking them immediately after your event, but later they can help reduce swelling and pain due to stiffness.

In the days that follow:

• Soreness can last for 2 to 3 days. If it lasts longer or worsens, see a physical therapist or a orthopedic specialist. Always better safe than sorry! Continue to eat carbohydrate-rich foods to replenish the body's energy stores. Be sure to get good, quality rest and sleep. That's when the body does it's best recovering. Take a week off from running, longer if you ran a longer distance. While your body's soreness will subside in a couple of days, there's still a good bit of internal healing that needs to happen. The body is also more prone to injury if not healed properly. Do 20-30 minutes of cross-training, and focus on flexibility. Cross-training activities should be low-impact to allow you to increase circulation to your healing muscles without pounding on the muscles, tendons and joints. Find a spin class, a yoga class or hit the pool for some laps. A widely-used guideline is to take an easy day for every mile you ran. So for you marathoners, that means 26 days of easy activity and runs before racing again. Ease back into mileage as well. 

Most importantly, listen to your body. Every race is different, as is every recovery. Let the aches and pains be your guide. It's okay to take it easy and let the rest be an investment towards your success in your next endeavor!