Marathon Recovery Tips
How to Recover from the Stress of Running 26.2 Miles
Running a marathon is hard on the body and requires allowing the body to recover. This article offers some marathon recovery tips.
Crossing the Finish Line
Congratulations. You crossed the finish line of your marathon. Whether it is your first marathon or you are an experienced veteran, you need to allow your body to recover.
Resist the very strong temptation to sit down right away. Keep hobbling so your muscles can cool down a bit.
Get liquids. Get some more liquids. Most marathons have snacks and drinks available at the finish line. Replenish your body, but don't gorge. You don't need the extra stress of digesting a heavy meal right away. Don't be too proud to ask for help peeling the banana or opening the snack you selected.
Nutrition
By running a marathon race, you have placed a great deal of stress on your body. You must give your body the nutrients it needs to heal.
You are likely to be dehydrated. Drink as much as it takes to satisfy your thirst. Replenish liquids and electrolytes. If you weigh less than normal the next morning, you are probably still dehydrated. Drink more. If you are properly hydrated, your urine will be a light rather than a dark yellow color.
Your body will not be ready to digest a meal right away. When you begin to feel hungry, it probably is. Then give the body the nutrients it needs to rebuild.
You need to rebuild the muscles torn down by running the marathon, so be sure to get plenty of protein. If you are a vegetarian, pay special attention to insure that you get the protein your body needs. If you are a carnivore, feel free to have a generous portion of your favorite meat.
You also need carbohydrates to replenish the energy you used running the marathon. Running a marathon burns more calories than a typical less active person needs for a full day. You have also earned the right to moderately indulge in your favorite high fat foods.
Running
You will be sore. Feel free to take the next day or two off.
Easy walking the next day will help loosen your sore muscles. If you want to run the next day to loosen your muscles, run only a mile or so very easily.
Take a month or so to recover. After a race, you should take an easy day for every mile that you raced. That works out to almost a month for a marathon. Middle aged or older runners will require more recovery time than runners still in their twenties.
During this recovery phase, don't run any races. Don't take any long runs. Don't run hard. Listen to your body. If you don't feel like a long or hard run, it is because your body needs more time to recover. Take the recovery time your body needs.
Getting Sick
The stress of running a marathon can lower your resistance. You are more likely to get a cold or other common illness. If that happens, let yourself recover.
You may notice a small amount of blood in your urine just after a hard marathon. Normally bloody urine signals a serious condition which requires medical attention. However it can occur after an extreme physical stress, like a marathon. If it happens once just after a marathon, there is no cause for alarm. If it persists, or occurs at other times, see your physician.
Running a marathon is hard on your body. Allow adequate time for your body to recover so that you will be eager and able to keep running and to run another marathon.
