14 Post-Marathon Recovery Tips

Running a marathon is one of the most challenging and demanding athletic feats, requiring significant physical and mental strength as you push your body to its maximum limits. The hours, days, and weeks after a marathon are crucial for recovery and to reduce injury. Physical therapists can help marathon runners recover effectively, minimize soreness, and ensure a safe return to running. Check out our 14 tips for post-marathon recovery.

Impact of Marathon Running on the Body

The amount of running required for training for and completing a marathon pushes your body to its maximum limits. During a marathon, the musculoskeletal system takes the brunt of the demands placed on the body, which can lead to injuries like strained muscles, tendinitis, sprains of various joints or compressive reactions (shin splints), or muscle damage at the micro level (delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS) due to the cumulative repetitive pounding that occurs when the foot hits the ground thousands of times during training and running of the marathon.

DOMS is a very common experience after a marathon, with the greatest intensity of soreness within 48 hours after the marathon. After a marathon, muscle cells are damaged and develop micro tears that cause the muscles to swell, leading to pain. Runners can even experience the effects of DOMS for up to 2 to 3 weeks after the marathon.

Marathon training and running can also weaken the immune system. During the first week after the marathon, your body can be more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu. During the race, your body uses up its energy stores, breaks down muscle, and loses fluid and electrolytes, depleting the body of nutrients and leading to a state of dehydration.

14 Tips for Post-Marathon Recovery

After a marathon, it is essential to take steps in the following hours, days, and weeks to rehabilitate your body and ensure a safe recovery. A physical therapist can help you safely engage in an active recovery to prevent long-lasting injuries, minimize soreness, and ensure a safe return to running and training.

Research has found that post-marathon, muscle strength is restored within 14 days, cellular recovery of mitochondria (which produces energy currency in the cell) is restored within 3 to 4 weeks, and improved markers of recovery are evident within 8-12 weeks.

Here are 14 post-marathon recovery tips:

In the Initial Hours after a Marathon:

1. Rehydrate and refuel. Drink water and sports drinks that are rich in electrolytes to combat dehydration from loss of fluids and electrolytes during the race. Refuel with carbohydrates and protein at a 4:1 ratio to enhance glycogen re-synthesis within 30-60 minutes after the race. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for endurance athletes like marathon runners as they provide glycogen for muscle and central nervous system function.

2. Engage in gentle static stretching of major muscle groups to relieve muscle tension and tightness. Focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors.

3. Use compression garments like compression socks or sleeves to promote blood circulation and reduce swelling in the legs. This can reduce soreness in the first 24 hours and even improve running function two-weeks post-marathon.

Days and weeks after the marathon:

4. The first 7-10 days after your race are a critical time for your body to recover. Allow for a week or more of rest, prioritizing at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to allow for muscle growth and repair.

5. Within 10-14 days, marathon runners will have reached pre-marathon level muscle function and can being incorporating short, low-intensity cross-training exercises like swimming, cycling, or walking to loosen up muscles, improve blood flow, and reduce lactic acid that built up over the marathon run. Avoid high-impact workouts or running at this point.

6. Maintain sufficient hydration during the day (pale yellow urine is a good indicator of a healthy hydration level) and continue with a balanced nutrient-rich diet with foods high in antioxidants like fruits and vegetables to reduce inflammation.

7. Engage in massage therapy to reduce muscle soreness, foam rolling to release tight muscles in the legs, or do an ice bath for 10-15 minutes to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation.

8.     Meet with a physical therapist for a post-marathon assessment to identify potential issues or injuries, assess muscle imbalances, and provide guidance on recovery next steps.

Long-term recovery:

9. Cross-train while engaging in marathon training runs. Cross train with cycling, swimming, or strength training to maintain overall fitness and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

10. Engage in strength and flexibility exercises to address muscular weaknesses and imbalances. A strong core and balanced muscle development can improve running form and reduce injury risk.

11. Schedule rest days into your training plan to allow the body to recover fully.

12. Work with a physical therapist, running coach, or sports physician to monitor your progress while training and make adjustments to your training plan.

13. Running shoes lose up to half their cushioning every 250-500 miles. Be sure to replace your running shoes regularly and consider switching between two different types of running shoes to help maintain stability of the shoe and prevent overuse.

14. Make a gradual return to running. Avoid the temptation to resume training runs too soon. Start with short easy runs and gradually increasing the intensity and duration of your runs gradually as your body can tolerate it.

Running a marathon is an impressive athletic feat that requires discipline, intense preparation, and active recovery. As you recover from your marathon, work with a physical therapist to ensure a safe and effective recovery and return to training and running.