Why Marathon Recovery Matters More Than You Think

Congrats! You just ran 26.2 miles, such an incredible accomplishment! Now, marathon recovery is just as important as the training and racing that got you to the finish line.

Too often, runners jump straight into another marathon race or training cycle, thinking nonstop racing is normal. Social media makes it look that way, but it’s a fast track to burnout and injury.

Recovery after marathons take time and should be prioritized, especially if you’re looking to stay healthy in this sport and be in it for the long-term. Give your body the time it needs to repair, rebuild and restore energy.

In this post, I’ll break down why marathon recovery matters, what happens to your body during a marathon and how to know when you’re ready to start training again.

A Common Marathon Recovery Mistake

A huge marathon recovery mistake people make is to not take any recovery time at all. There is this trend I see on social media with marathon runners jumping from marathon race to marathon race without taking any real time off and it’s a problem. Social media is making this seem normal for runners to do but it’s far from normal. 

Neglecting taking time off for recovery after a marathon is a fast track to burn out and injury and is not the way to build longevity in this sport. 

What is normal and healthy is running 1-2 marathons each year, training intentionally for them and respecting your body’s recovery needs by taking true downtime after the race. 

Why Rest and Recovery Matter

When you cross your marathon finish line, your body has just gone through an incredible amount of physical and mental stress. 

Even if you feel okay right after your race and continue to feel fine a few days later, your body still has high marathon recovery needs to repair and restore beneath the surface. That’s exactly why taking true recovery time aka time off from training is so important. 

Physical Recovery Needs

Running 26.2 miles takes a major toll on the body as it causes tiny microtears in your muscles, places a significant impact on your joints and connective tissues and is even taxing on your organs.

While running offers many health benefits, the physiological effects after a marathon shouldn’t be overlooked. Acute inflammation is common and research has shown temporary immunosuppression along with elevated biomarkers that indicate acute stress or damage to organs such as the kidneys and liver.

So even if you may feel great after your race or may only experience a small amount of soreness and stiffness, your body has a lot of work to do for proper marathon recovery.

Even elite runners build in recovery weeks after big races. Time off of exercise post-race is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of respecting your body for the work it just did.

Energy Restoration Needs

All those hours of marathon racing depletes your glycogen stores which your muscles use for fuel during endurance exercise. 

After a marathon, your body’s top priority is to replenish those energy stores. Taking adequate rest time, hydrating, eating well and getting in plenty of carbohydrates allows your body to replenish so you can return to training with full energy rather than digging yourself into a deeper hole of fatigue.

The day after the marathon, I tell my clients to eat like they are still marathon training and to continue to eat like that for the next 2-3 days so they can be sure to eat adequate carbohydrates for glycogen repletion. Including a few recovery drinks for runners the days after a marathon can be a smart choice too!

Injury Prevention

Jumping right back into training too soon without proper marathon recovery is one of the fastest ways that you can end up injured. 

When you don’t allow enough recovery time, your risk for overuse injuries like stress fractures and connective tissue issues skyrockets. Post marathon recovery is the best investment you can make for not only your present body but your future body and running goals.

Mental Recovery Needs

Marathon training and racing isn’t just physical, there is a huge mental component! You spend months training for your race and you spend months focusing, being structured and disciplined. By the time race day is over, it’s normal to feel mentally spent. 

Taking time off helps you decompress, reflect on what went well and what didn’t go well so you can make the appropriate changes for next time. It also helps rebuild motivation for your next training cycle while helping you avoid future burnout. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

Taking time off for marathon recovery isn’t a sign of laziness, it’s a smart part of long-term progress. The recovery period is where your body adapts and becomes stronger. Respect the process!

What “Taking Time Off” in Marathon Recovery Really Means

Time off after a marathon doesn’t mean going for an easy run, signing up for a cycling class or going on a long hike. It really means intentional rest. So let’s talk about your post-marathon recovery plan.

You can choose to take time off completely from exercise or do some active recovery. Active recovery means very light, non-strenuous movement like light walking or some light yoga, no structured runs or workouts. I typically encourage my clients to go for a 20-30 min easy walk for the few days after their marathon just to shake their legs out.

A huge piece of recovery is sleep so that is also going to be a great focus during your marathon recovery time. Your body spends a lot of time repairing and rebuilding when you sleep. Try to get in 8 hours/night if possible. 

Another top marathon recovery tool is nutrition. Focus on eating well-balanced meals and snacks and nutrient-dense foods to help your body heal and restore. This is not the time to restrict your eating or start a diet. Your body needs food to recover so don’t be afraid to eat. 

Can we also talk about the fact that you just ran A MARATHON!!! Running 26.2 miles is such a huge accomplishment and should be celebrated. Even if you fell short of your race day goals, running across a marathon finish line deserves a party so I hope you recognize what you just did and celebrate yourself and your body!

Common Post-Marathon Mistakes to Avoid

1. Running too soon after and calling it “active recovery”

This mistake I see way too often.. runners running too soon after a marathon and calling it “active recovery.” Let me remind you that active recovery is not running, even if it’s easy effort. As I mentioned earlier, active recovery is a light walk or some light yoga. 

2. Signing up for another race immediately after

I’m ok with my clients signing up for another race that is way out into the future, but I’m not ok with my clients signing up for a race that is a month after their marathon. It can take weeks for your body to fully heal from running a marathon and remember that running a race in a body that isn’t recovered significantly increases your chances of getting injured. 

3. Ignoring lingering soreness, fatigue and low motivation

These are signs from your body that it still needs to recover, both physically and mentally. One of the worst things that you can do is ignore these signs and jump into your next training cycle. Please listen to your body and don’t force it. You and your future running will be way better off. 

How to Know When You’re Ready to Return to Training

While everyone may need a different amount of time off for marathon recovery, here is some general guidance to help you get a feel for when your body is ready to return to training. 

The key here is to slowly ease back into training when you feel ready. Your body will tell you when it’s ready to run again. Paying attention to how your body feels on the next few runs back will help you determine if your body is ready to train again.

We aren’t diving right back into speed workouts and double digit long runs right away. Start with short, easy effort runs and work on slowly building up over a few weeks. It’s ok to also reintroduce strength training into your routine but it may be smart to start with lighter weights and then slowly build up with your weights.

One thing that everyone freaks out about when it comes to taking time off after racing is that they’re going to lose fitness. It’s normal to lose some fitness with time off, especially if it’s a lengthy amount of time off. But remember taking that time off will benefit you in the future. 

Our fitness fluctuates throughout our life and that’s ok! It’s completely normal. It’s unrealistic to expect our bodies to be in peak racing shape all year round. Once you start training again, your fitness will improve so stop worrying so much about it. 

After you have a few weeks of easy effort running and strength training under your belt, try reintroducing some strides at the end of your runs for a few weeks. Then gradually reintroduce structured speed workouts. 

As you increase your mileage and the intensity of your runs, be mindful of also increasing your daily calorie and carbohydrate intake to prevent underfueling and to help your body endure higher mileage.

Summary

Running a marathon is such a beautiful achievement, but marathon recovery is just as important as the training and racing itself. 

Skipping marathon recovery and jumping straight into another race or training cycle is a fast track to burnout, injury and long-term setbacks. True marathon recovery time allows your body to repair, rebuild and come back stronger. 

Taking time off isn’t being weak, it’s essential for the longevity in the sport and the health of your present and future body. Celebrate your accomplishment, listen to your body and ease back into training when it feels ready!

Don’t leave your progress to chance, work with me 1:1 to get personalized guidance and support for your running, strength training and nutrition.

• 1:1 Nutrition Coaching: Fuel your body for peak performance, optimize recovery and create a sustainable plan that fits your needs and preferences.
  
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Invest in yourself and your running, your future self will thank you!