Rebound and Recover: Your Post-Marathon Recovery Plan
Running a marathon is an incredible achievement that less than 1% of the population has achieved. If you’ve completed one in your lifetime, consider yourself among this elite group of athletes who had the mental and physical endurance to complete such a task.
Marathons, while a huge achievement, can wreak havoc on your body. It’s no surprise with the demands of months of training and the additional stress presented on race day why it’s a good idea to take a couple of weeks off after your marathon, yet many athletes struggle to recover properly which leads to burn out, overtraining, and performance plateaus. In this article, we’ll break down what happens to your body after running marathon and provide effective post-marathon recovery strategies.
Immune System Compromise Post-Marathon
Have you ever gotten sick following your marathon? That’s because for 3-72 hours following the marathon, your immune system is compromised and temporarily weakened. This puts you at a higher risk for infections, especially with all those post-race sweaty hugs and high fives going around!
But that’s not all - do you feel like you’re more prone to sickness during a training cycle? Research on the immune system of endurance athletes following intense prolonged exertion showed that carbohydrate intake before, during, and after can decrease some of this pysiological stress. Proper fueling not only on race day, but during your training cycle, can keep your immune system functioning properly and help you recover following your marathon.
For the first 3 days post marathon, focus on:
Getting quality sleep. A minimum of 7-9 hours a night will aid in immune system recovery and overall healing.
Eating nutrient dense foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support immune function.
Staying well hydrated to help your body to process toxins and support overall recovery.
Cellular Damage and Initial Recovery
Increased levels of Creatine Kinase, a biomarker that indicates damage to skeletal muscle and tissue, have been shown to last for more than 7 days following a marathon. Even if muscle soreness is gone after a few days, these elevated levels indicating damage are not always apparent which is why you should always plan to take some time off after a marathon even if you don’t experience soreness. These increas
For the initial 7-10 days post-marathon, try to:
Focus on complete rest.
Use active recovery to promote healing. Walking is an excellent form of active recovery that helps maintain blood flow and prevents stiffness without overloading muscles. Aim to keep whatever movement you choose during this time light (yoga, light biking, walking, etc.)
Muscle Damage and Long-Term Recovery
There is decreased muscle strength and delayed onset muscle soreness following a marathon - clearly why stairs are the nemesis of anyone who’s just run 26.2 miles! While the physical soreness can disappear after a few days, research has shown it takes 3-4 weeks for the tiny microtears and inflammation in your muscle fibers and mitochondria to actually repair. This requires a very gradual return to running to prevent injury and plateaus in performance.
For the first month following a marathon, aim to:
Follow a reverse taper to gradually decrease your rest, slowly re-introduce running, and finally, add intensity back into your training.
Run easy. Keeping your runs easy will allow your body to recover through movement without adding additional stress. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard.
Cross train. Low-impact, runner specific cross-training is a great way to promote recovery while allowing muscles to heal. It’s also a great way to start laying the foundation for a transition back into running.
The Importance of Mental Recovery
Completing a marathon requires intense mental focus, determination, and resilience. The discipline required to train for hours each week in the months leading towards this goal can create significant mental fatigue and burnout. It’s important to allow time for mental recovery to ensure running remains enjoyable and sustainable while also reflecting and learning on your experience, but this can be hard for many athletes to do. Many athletes like to rush into what’s next, or if they had a tough race, move on without proper reflection which leads to missed learning opportunities to make the next race better. Here’s how you can help yourself recovery mentally from running a marathon:
Rest and relax. Engage in non-running activities you missed out on because you were spending so much time running. Whether this is a movie with friends, dinner out on a Friday night, or reading.
Celebrate. Taking that trip or vacation you put off because you were so focused on training is a great idea to celebrate your success and truly enjoy a vacation with no pressure to run. Be sure to recognize and celebrate your accomplishment in a way that fulfills you.
Reflective journaling. Take time to process your race, noting challenges and positive takeaways. Reflecting on what you learned will help you take those lessons into future training.
Share your experience. Discuss your race with friends, family, and fellow runners. This can be therapuetic and help you gain additional perspective.
Reassess goals. You can feel aimless and lost following a marathon. Taking time to look at the future, lay out a timeline, and set a new goal for a race, personal best, or a different fitness challenge is helpful to provide passion and focus back into your life.
Mental recovery is a vital component of post-marathon care. By addressing mental fatigue, processing emotions, reassessing goals, preventing post-race depression, and maintaining a balanced perspective, runners can ensure a holistic recovery. This not only enhances overall well-being but also sets the stage for future running success and enjoyment.
Conclusion
Recovering from a marathon is a multifaceted process that involves addressing physical and mental aspects. By understanding the physiological impacts on your body, such as immune system compromise, cellular damage, and muscle recovery, you can take proactive steps to heal effectively. Emphasizing nutrient-dense foods, sufficient sleep, active recovery, and gradual reintroduction to running ensures you come back stronger and more resilient.
Mental recovery is equally important. Taking the time to rest, reflect, and set new goals can prevent burnout and keep your passion for running alive. Celebrate your achievements, process your emotions, and maintain a balanced perspective to enjoy a fulfilling running journey.
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