Marathon season is now well underway, with both the Manchester and London events having just taken place… so no doubt there are many of you out there dealing with rather achy legs at the moment!
Of course, it’s natural to feel those miles in your body after such a gruelling event and, no matter how much training you do before a marathon, you’re sure to feel the after-effects, so how best do you go about recovering from such a long run? Here are a few top tips!
Immediately after the run
Once you cross the finish line, keep moving for 15 minutes or so to help you cool down, rather than static stretching to ease those sore muscles as this can make any damage you’ve sustained worse.
Reach for the carb-rich snacks and drinks within an hour so you can replace any carbs you’ve used up, then follow this with a well balanced meal of protein, vegetables and carbs within the next two hours.
Keep yourself well hydrated over the next 24 hours, as well.
The day after the run
You can help boost your recovery by wearing compression socks, promoting blood flow and circulation, as well as reducing swelling and soreness. You could also consider going for a gentle swim or a stroll, as it’s better to stay active after running so far, rather than vegging out on the sofa.
3 days post-marathon
Now’s the time to think about going for a deep tissue massage. Make sure you tell your massage therapist about any particularly troublesome areas that you’re worried about.
You’ll find that massage can help with muscle soreness and inflammation, relieve muscle tension, break down scar tissue to improve mobility and flexibility, and help reduce or prevent the severity of delayed onset muscle soreness.
