Congratulations on completing a marathon! Now the question is, when to start up again without hurting yourself. – By Susan Paul

Some experts recommend one day of rest for every kilometre raced, or 42 days of rest! The reality is that there is no exact formula to follow for recovery after a marathon, so the best guide is really tuning in and listening to your body.

The good news is that “rest” does not mean no running at all, but rather a break from high intensity training like speed work or other races for about two to three weeks. So there’s no reason to become a couch potato! Minimal soreness is a good sign, but give it a few more days to kick in. Delayed onset of muscle soreness typically follows most marathon efforts.

The soreness results from microscopic muscle tissue damage and the severity of it depends upon the fitness level of the individual and the intensity of the effort relative to the training effort. The degree of soreness indicates the extent of muscle damage and this will influence the duration of the recovery period. In other words, the more soreness, the longer the recovery. A lack of soreness indicates you were well prepared for the demands of your race, so good job with your training!

Marathon Recovery Made Easy

As a general guideline, we suggest taking three to seven days completely off after a marathon. Sleep in, eat, and enjoy your accomplishment! After that, begin an active recovery programme. Active recovery includes light exercise and even some running, if you are not sore. “Light” exercise means exercising at a low intensity level, i.e., no more than 60-65% of your max heart rate for a relatively short duration, less than 60 minutes. Walking, running, riding a bike, stretching, or swimming for 30 to 60 minutes at low intensity will promote circulation and assist your recovery. Massage therapy and foam rolling can also help relieve muscle soreness and assist recovery by increasing the body’s circulation too.

Avoid a hot bath for 48 hours after the race. Cool water baths with some ice will help minimise soft tissue inflammation during the first 48 hours post-race. Fill the tub with water and hop in. Then, slowly add ice to the water to minimise the cold shock factor. You can wear a sweatshirt and sip on a hot drink while you cool down your legs. After your ice bath, plan on lying down with your feet elevated. After 48 hours, barring no injuries, you can take a warm bath or use the hot tub.

Return to running with some easy paced short runs when any muscle soreness has disappeared. One training option is follow your taper plan in reverse to re-build your distance. For example, your first weekday runs would be in the 4-9 km range, the first “long” weekend run would be around nine kilometres, the following weekend 12-16 km’s, and then a 16-22 km run the weekend after that. Future distance will depend upon how you feel and your future running goals.

The recovery period is a good time to decide what you want to do next. Planning your training and setting goals is a great way to use your time during recovery.

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