Debut Marathoner Series: 5 Tips for Recovering from Your First Marathon
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Congratulations, you have completed your very first marathon! Now what? Use the following recovery tips to help you feel your best in the days and weeks ahead.
- Gentle stretching: As mentioned in previous blog posts, focus on stretching of the large muscle groups: hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and calves. Static stretching is best (holding the stretching for approximately 30 seconds at a time).
- Massage: Massage will help relief muscle soreness and stiffness. Communicate your areas of soreness to your massage therapist and let them know to be gentle as you just ran a marathon. The idea of a massage is to bring blood flow to the area to allow for recovery and healing. Check out this previous blog post on 8 reasons to consider getting a massage the week after the marathon and click here to find and Athletico massage therapist.
Contrast bath: Take two large trash cans (fill one with warm water and the other with ice cold water). Put your entire body into the cold water, sit for 5 minutes, and then transfer your entire body into the warmer water. Sit for another 5 minutes. Repeat this 2 to 3 times. This will cause blood to flow in and out of the area, which helps facilitate healing.- Listen to your body: What works for one person might not work for another. While it might take your friend a week or two to get back to running, it may take you three to four, and that鈥檚 okay! Our bodies all recover at different speeds.
- Get plenty of rest: Remember your body is in recovery mode and sleep is crucial for the recovery process. Listen to your body and don鈥檛 feel guilty about sleeping more than normal!
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between soreness and injury. Please do not wait too long to see a medical professional. In most cases, your soreness is due to the stress that the marathon has put your body through as opposed to a specific injury. If you are experiencing any nagging aches and pains that you would like to have checked out, contact your nearest Athletico for a complimentary injury screening.
4 Comments
Maria Claudia Garavito
I feel great! And thanks for the tips… as I thought I was supposed to be running by now!!!! I know now that it is OK to feel sleepy and with a foot that hurts still!!!!
Mia
Awesome that you feel great, Maria!! If your foot continues to bother you over the next few weeks you can call any of our Athletico to receive a complimentary injury screen. Good luck with all your future races!
Mia
Ella Louis
Thank you for the tips. I felt great 2 days afterwards. Now after 2 weeks, I am feeling a little IT band and knee sensitivity that is making me think the screening would provide peace of mind if nothing else. These are areas that I had issues with the past several months of training after getting into the higher miles (around 17 and upwards).
Mia
Ella, I completely agree with you that a screening would give you the peace of mind that nothing else serious is going on with your knee. A lot of runners develop IT band syndrome in the higher mileage, myself being one of them 馃槈 continue stretching, using your foam roll, icing, and schedule your complimentary injury screen!
Mia