After crossing the finish line of the LA Marathon, my number one goal was to do everything I could possibly do to recover quickly so I could get back to training for Boston. Typically after a marathon I do a few of these things, but not all of them.
Here’s what I did on race day:
- A 10 minute cool-down walk
- Force fed myself a mix of Vanilla Vega Sport Performance Protein and almond milk within 30 minutes of finishing the race
- Took a 15 minute ice bath right after I finished the drink
- Ate a real meal within two hours of finishing (and yes that meal included a margarita)
- Wore compression socks and went for a long walk
- Did dynamic stretching before going to bed
Recovery schedule the week after the race:
- Monday: 2 mile recovery jog at a super easy pace, foam rolled lightly and stretched.
- Tuesday: 5 mile walk
- Wednesday: Hot yoga class (spent 1/3 of the time in child’s pose)
- Thursday: Complete rest day
- Friday: 2.5 mile run on a soft surface
- Saturday: 5k run on a flat surface
- Sunday: Complete rest day
I went for my first real run yesterday and although my legs felt a little stiff from not moving around much Sunday and Monday, I felt good!
What steps do you take to recover quickly from hard workouts, long runs or races?
After a hard effort, I make sure I cool down properly, re-hydrate, stretch and foam roll. Then I refuel with a nutritious snack or meal, such as Greek yogurt with berries and granola or an omelet and toast. If I am super sore the next day, I take an active rest day and go for a long walk or do yoga. That’s key to avoid getting stiff!
Sounds like a great plan you have to keep your body moving but also to rest! I always rest for about 2 days after and then do small runs to slowly get my legs moving again.
Good plans for sure, I think you are going to bounce back and Boston is going to be incredible!
I like ice baths and salt baths for recovery, and compression gear. Those are my go-to’s.
Good for you for forcing yourself to eat! After 26.2, I don’t want to eat anything for a long long time!
Great job! Love the selfie.
After a race, I too try to walk it off and eat relatively quickly. This has mixed results. Sometimes I feel fine, but on my last race I threw up lunch 5 hours after I ate it. 😉 Next time I will focus on fluids and protein shakes and only eat if I’m hungry.