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I think as athletes we spend a lot of time planning out the training and preparation for a big event, but not so much the “after” - how we recover and structure our seasons/years as a whole. This is something I’ve been thinking about quite often as I find myself more immersed in the track and field space, as we at Precision are the official PT providers of the Atlanta Track Club Elite Team. Track and field athletes have more defined off-seasons, and it is not unheard of for some athletes to take weeks off in between competition blocks, or even up to a month of just easy, low-key training.
In the age group and everyday marathoner space, it is easy to end up training year-around. Between a spring and fall marathon, our favorite Turkey Trot, Local races, and peer pressure, we may never get a significant chunk of downtime!
This is why I think it’s important to plan out and be intentional about post-race recovery, and for the purposes of this article I’ll focus on the marathon. In fact, I’m writing this from our recovery room in the clinic, with Normatec boots squeezing the dickens out of my Chicago Marathon battered legs. Let’s discuss the key elements of a marathon recovery plan so that you can set yourself up for success in the months that follow.
Race recovery starts as soon as you cross the finish line. We all get to the end of a marathon in various states - varying from jubilant triumph to peg-legged muscle cramp misery. Tolerance to nutrition and hydration may be lacking, but it is important to get rehydrated and fueled as soon as you can. Races have different offerings at the end and finding something tolerable to eat/drink after so many gels, chews, and sports drink can be challenging. Pack a snack in your drop bag that you have been able to eat shortly after running before in your drop bag so that you aren’t limited to eating things from the sponsors of the race. Ideally the snack would have protein, but at this point, some calories are better than no calories. Intentionally drink water and electrolyte drinks as needed, particularly if you find yourself coated in a layer of salt or particularly sweaty.
If you are hanging out in the finishing area for a long time, continue to eat/drink as much as you can tolerate. You can get your recovery meal later, now is not the time to save your appetite! Do some light stretching as you’re able, being sure to hit the major muscle groups - calves, hamstrings, quads, adductors, glutes.
Later in the day, try to do some light movement. Obviously it is totally okay to put your feet up and just lie down for a while, but after the shock of the race is over, get moving! This can be walking around the city after a major marathon, splashing around in the hotel pool, or riding a city bike (as long as you are being safe and are proficient in bike handling!). Again, the more movement the better - sitting for too long can actually hinder recovery and tighten muscles. However, If you do have to travel home the same day as the race, pack compression socks and walk around the airport as much as possible before getting on the plane. And of course stay hydrated and keep eating in transit!
Post marathon soreness and recovery is different for everyone, so this is why you need to listen to your body instead of asking your friends or training partners what is “normal”. Stay the course on your own timeline. I am a big advocate for taking a week completely off from running and exercise altogether (yes, not even cross training!). Light biking, walking, hiking etc. is fine, but there is absolutely nothing to be gained in the week following a race, we can only hinder our recovery during this time. Again, this is highly individual and some will feel completely normal within a few days - but don’t beat yourself up for taking a little longer and not being one of those people. Personally, I don’t feel like I can even run across the street until 5 days post race. We all recover at different rates! You WILL see someone in your Strava feed running 2 days after a marathon. Ignore them!
Circling back to the offseason discussion, go into your goal race with a rough idea of an “offseason”. Taking physical and mental downtime is key to preventing burnout and improved training adaptation once you do start running again. Take some unstructured time to run when you feel like it, as you feel like it, and for as little or as long as you want. Some of us “Type A’s” cringe at this idea, so if you must have a plan, write it out so that it is less intense and less volume than your typical training. Structuring your races to allow for this time is key too - while it is possible to run marathons close together, keep in mind that there is a big difference between running a marathon and racing a marathon, and make decisions accordingly.
No matter how your race went, take some time to reflect on the journey - from day 1 of training all the way through race day, and be proud of yourself! Any day you complete a marathon is a great day. Soak it in and don’t rush the next Big Thing - you have plenty of time.
Happy recovering!
Dr. Kacy Seynders, PT, DPT
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