How To Recover From A Marathon

So you want to know how to recover from a marathon! You want to recover well, decrease risk of injury from jumping back into your normal run routine too fast or you actually have another race coming up and want to be ready. Here is a quick guide to recovering and returning back to top form after completing a half or full marathon.

Check out the highlights and the full video with the details below!

If you don’t take the time to recover smart, not rushing or listening to your body here are the risks:

RISK: you’re in a great cardio fitness, but your body feels like crap and your muscles have been broken down for sure

RISK: For some you may feel you will lose your fitness if you rest so after a few days you jump back into running fast and at a high intensity but that can lead to injury

POINT: Muscular damage could be up to 2weeks or greater

Fast running can be more difficult in the 2-3wks after a marathon

Fully recovery up to month potentially

First few days (days 1-2)

Focus on promoting circulation (example alternating cold and hot)

Movement is medicine! ( but very easy 15-30min)

Short easy walk

Cross train swim, cycle

Food and Fluids: balanced meals and hydration

Rest (obviously..you need that!)

Several Factors come into play with recovery:

You as an individual

Pre-race fitness

Race length, difficulty of course (hilly, variable terrain, etc)

DOMS: delayed onset muscle soreness (can peak by day 2 or 3)

AFTER DAY 5-7: can probably get a massage

6-10 Days Post

Easy aerobic cross-training

Combo of light strength, mobility and flexibility exercises

After that begin some running workouts and of course please EASY running

Listen to your body

Reverse taper

General:

1 week: 30% of regular volume

2 weeks: 60%

3 weeks: full regular volume

4 weeks+: full regular volume plus speed and effort work etc

IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER RACE

Within 6-8weeks

Use reverse taper and can be ready within 3wks to race again

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Hydration & Fuel Tips For Running: 5K to Marathon

Ok so first step begin your hydration and fueling from the beginning

I played basketball and I had a coach always tell us.. you play how you practice!

Picture this you are ready to complete your first half or full marathon or you’ve completed many..but you’ve always struggled with fuel, hydration or wondering why you seem to run out of steam despite your training.

You decide the night before to try a new energy gel or goo one of your run friends has been raving about…she thinks its great so why not! Enter use of gel at about an 45-60min in and then in desperation trying to find the nearest port a potty!!! EPIC FAIL

Lets avoid this scenario!

A little background importance of water/hydration/electrolytes

Water delivers the goods ie nutrients to muscles and assists in temperature regulation

So dehydration or over hydration can clearly have negative effects

Chew or sip on this….performance will decrease if you are 1% dehydrated and it will decrease significant if you are 2% dehydrated

Key: practice what you are going to do on race day

Check out the video of my Runner Wine-down show in which I discuss more detail on Hydration & Fuel below!

https://www.facebook.com/latisha.poulard/videos/10102528419738574/
The Runner Wine-down Episode 1: Hydration & Fuel For Runners: Marathon Edition

How to determine your water loss: measure body weight before your run and after your run (source: Runnersworld)

Sweat loss (ounces) is equal to bodyweight after exercise

General guide: drink 2 cups (16oz) of water for every pound that has been lost

DURING TRAINING RUNS

General Guidelines 

  1. If you run in the morning: a lot of people for short runs meaning under 45min go fasted and that works for them.. (not a dietician) BUT if you are hitting it longer than that try 1 cup of a carb drink or energy gel+ water (I can’t handle gels that well so a trusty banana or a couple of tbsp of honey that gives you about 30g of carbs
  2. Lunch time bunch: light pre-run snack about a 300cal snack probably works eat 1-2hrs (just loose guidelines, test yourself)
  3. Evening runner: eat regularly and balanced throughout the day to prepare yourself for the late run (resource: runnersworld)

Energy requirements

Water/Electrolyte replacement:

Runs under 60minutes= water is best bet

Runs greater than 60min you will need a little something extra! Think electrolyte replacement 

Experiment drink 4-8oz water every 15-20min

FUEL: Over 90minutes you will need additional carbs from gels, bars or other foods you can tolerate! You have to experiment

Need approximately 30g CHO per hour of exercise (gels take with water to speed delivery of energy and help with GI disturbances

AFTER EXERCISE: 

Carbs+Protein

Then make sure to replace your hydration/electrolytes as well

Important especially after a >90min run get your PROTEIN preferably within 15-30min (build and repair what you just broke down..muscles, tendons

Half or Full Marathon

Up to 120min aim for 30-60g of carbs/hr

Over 120min aim for 60-90g of carbs/hr

Carb loading

And race day use of gels: can think about a slurp every 2-3miles (15-30min) to help stave off glycogen depletion

Caffeine helps too! 

REMEMBER This is a guide not a replacement for a developed plan from a RD


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