You spent months training for your big race. You crossed the finish line of your marathon or ultramarathon and the stoke level is off the charts! Now the work is finally done. However, the recovery process after a big race such as a marathon or ultramarathon is just as, if not more, important than the training leading up to the race. Resuming training too soon after a race could lead to injury and/or reduced performances in the future. How to recover after a marathon or ultramarathon includes three stages: rest, exercise, and a return to training. The amount of time spent in each stage will be highly variable depending on the individual athlete.
Stage 1: Rest
This can be a tough stage for endurance athletes. They don’t like to sit still. However, a reduction in training load is necessary to allow for adequate muscle recovery as well as recovery of your autonomic nervous system. The main goals of the rest stage are:
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Refuel
There is a very likely chance that you burned more calories than you consumed during the race. In addition, the immune system is depressed for a few days after a race. For these reasons, your fueling in the days and weeks after the race is very important. Proper fueling can aid in repair of muscle tissue, tendons, and ligaments. Add some extra snacks and even meals for a few days and eat nutrient dense foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables will provide good micronutrients to strengthen the immune system and carbohydrates and protein will aid in replenishing muscle glycogen and muscle repair.
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Sleep
Sleep is a hugely important recovery tool. Committing to good sleep after a race will speed up the recovery process so that you feel ready to train sooner. The first night after the race you may find it difficult to sleep as many athletes report waking often with sore muscle aches. However, once muscle soreness starts to subside aim to get your ‘ideal’ sleep hours. For most people, ideal sleep hours would range from 7 – 9 hours per night. Think of a time when you were on vacation and were able to wake up without an alarm for consecutive days. The number of hours you slept would be in line with your ideal sleep time per night.
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Recover
This is also the stage where you will want to tend to any niggles or aches that popped up during or after the race. Perhaps you need to visit with your physiotherapist or massage therapist for some treatment. Others prefer to do mobility sessions and some very short, gentle walks. You will know you are ready to progress to stage two when you feel refueled, caught up on sleep, and muscle soreness has largely subsided.
Stage 2: Exercise
In stage two, exercise is different to training. This stage includes a lot of flexibility in the training schedule, cross training, strength training, and generally training in a fun and different way to how you would prepare for a race.
What a sample week could look like during stage two is below. The key is flexibility and exercising for enjoyment for a period of time.
Monday: Pilates or Yoga
Tuesday: Bike Ride with friends
Wednesday: Strength training
Thursday: Hike or run on trails
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Choice of cross training (Swim, bike, paddle, surf, etc.)
Sunday: Hike or run on trails
Stage 3: A return to training
The timing of when you progress to stage three will be dependent on a number of things. Practically speaking, the other races you have on your calendar for the year may dictate when you need to transition back to structured training with an increase in running volume and specificity to prepare for the next race.
If you don’t have a race coming up, there is more flexibility in when you move from stage two to stage three. If you find yourself losing motivation with exercise in stage two, it may be a sign you should return to structured training. Other athletes start to feel the ‘fire in the belly’ again towards the end of stage two. They feel motivated to target the next race, set the next big goal, and commit to a plan to achieve their goal.