Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice)

Jan 18, 05 8:35

Post #1 of 16 (1509 views)

Hello there,

This past Saturday I did my first ever Marathon! (4:46 -- for those that keep track of such things). I felt pretty sore on Sunday and Monday, but today I feel half-way decent. I was looking for some advice on recovery. From all I've read, I should take things easy and do a reverse taper back into my higher mileage. (For this week, I was thinking: 2 miles tuesday[today], 4 miles thursday, 2 or 3 on Saturday and 6-7 on Sunday.) Then, depending on how I feel from there, look into building back up to about 25-30miles a week and hold there for a bit.

I will let you all know how the first run went, and I guess I'll have to ascertain where I am in the scheme of things from there.

Also, I'd like to switch to 3 days a week running. I was doing 4-5 on the [url]http://www.marathonguide.com[/url] schedule, and it seemed like it was taking a toll on my body.

Thanks in advance,
Trae

--
Trae McCombs
TSR - Sponsored by the Masses. Racing for the hell of it.
Ironman Finisher 2005 -- 14:09:18

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 8:53

Post #2 of 16 (1495 views)

Unfortunately the best thing you can do to recover quickly from a marathon is in the hours immediately post race. Get in a tub of cold water with a couple of 8lb bags of ice for 15 minutes and that will greatly reduce the inflamation in your muscles and joints.

Otherwise the only thing you can do is take things easy for a few weeks, swim, bike and start planning for marathon #2.

Congratulations.

----------------------------------------------------------
"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy."
John Sawhill

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 9:00

Post #3 of 16 (1481 views)

No running at all the first week after your first marathon. Light spin on the bike is good. Go for short walks. Swimming is good.

Use your suggested running schedule for next week.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [tom] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 9:06

Post #4 of 16 (1474 views)

Ahhh, that makes sense. I'll pick up the running next week, and maybe just do a few 1/2 mile walks this week.

I was worried about getting into the pool because I might get cramps or something. Thanks for the advice!

Trae

--
Trae McCombs
TSR - Sponsored by the Masses. Racing for the hell of it.
Ironman Finisher 2005 -- 14:09:18

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 9:18

Post #5 of 16 (1455 views)

Hey Trae, congratulations on the first marathon. I recently did my first as well (about a month ago), and the thing that helped me the most was a deep tissue massage two days after the race. I had the massuse (I'm sure that's not spelled right) concentrate on the legs. The next morning almost all of my soreness was gone.

I also used the ice bath technique (too late for that now for you) as soon as I got home and stretched, and I think it really helped (cold, though).

-Colin

------------------------------------------------------------
Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 9:31

Post #6 of 16 (1441 views)

Congratulations on your first marathon.

I've run 7 marathons and have never run any sooner than 5 days after a marathon. After my last marathon in November, I took almost two weeks off from running. A marathon can really beat your body up, and the risks of injury if you start running again too soon really outweigh the marginal fitness benefits that you will get from an extra week or two of running training. So, just start to swim and spin easily now and then get back to running slowly.

I think that running three days a week is a very good plan unless you are really trying to focus on improving your running. I hardly ever run two days in a row unless I am training for a marathon, and getting the day's rest between runs has really reduced the overuse type problems that I used to have.

Last edited by: CTL: Jan 18, 05 9:32

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [tom] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 9:39

Post #7 of 16 (1427 views)

In Reply To:

No running at all the first week after your first marathon. Light spin on the bike is good. Go for short walks. Swimming is good.

Use your suggested running schedule for next week.

This is about my routine too, 15 marathons completed.

Aloha,

Larry

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 10:06

Post #8 of 16 (1404 views)

I did R&R in AZ on the 9th and did my first short run yesterday since the marathon and I think you really need to wait at least a week but let your body guide you, if it feels like you are struggling back off or give it more time. You need to recover well before you can build back up .

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 10:22

Post #9 of 16 (1391 views)

Just did my first marathon in December. I felt good and thought I should start running a few days after so I didn't lose fitness. Big mistake! My body was not ready to run and I was wiped-out in no time. After a couple of miserable attempt I took the advice of the board and let my body rest. I did light biking, elliptical, some other cross training that I had neglected during marathon training. I wish I would have done that in the first place. I second the massage, also. I did that and it felt really good.

Now that I am not training for a running event I have gone to 3/week runs. I think that is plenty to maintain.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 10:49

Post #10 of 16 (1367 views)

I'd stay away from running for at least the 1st week. Light spinning and swimming for sure. Potential for injury in the 1st week is not worth getting right back on the horse.

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"Knowledge is good" - Emil Faber

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 11:10

Post #11 of 16 (1351 views)

Congratulations!

Take it really easy and watch out: You maybe be injured and not know it.

Many people feel OK a couple days after a marathon. Just sore. Twice, I went for 2-3 miles a couple days later - OK ... then (idiot!) tried 6 or 7 miles just 5 or 6 days after the race. Both times, I had chewed up my IT band, but didn't really know it (well, I suspected - kind hurt the last 3-4 miles of both marathons) ... That 1-hour run, less than a week after the marathon, made the injury worse and put my running on hold for a month ... listen to your body and eat and bike and walk. No reason to get back to running too soon. Give yourself more time. You'll hardly lose any fitness. good luck.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 11:52

Post #12 of 16 (1319 views)

Congrats on finishing your first marathon.

This is too late for this race but may be of assistance in the future. I have done 13 marathons and the one in which my recovery was quickest was when i did 90 minutes of ashtanga yoga less than 2 hours after finishing the race. The intensity of the stretching was extremely helpful in my recovery. Also the mental relaxation provided was a tremendous help.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 12:00

Post #13 of 16 (1315 views)

Recovery?

Come again?

Why stop now and throw away all of the blood cells and mitochondria you killed and then built up along the way?

Isn't there a 50 mile Ultra Race around your neck of the woods somewhere?

If you feel better, today, then RUN 26 again TODAY! You are a high stakes roller now.

Why is there this big letdown after we run a marathon, in which we, drop back down to our 5 to 7.5 mile trots again, when we should build on the 26, and make 26 miles what we regularly used to run.

Take a few days off, and get your miles up to 30 miles, on what used to be your long, easy days.

Don't lose that base you spent months building up. Keep going. And going, and going.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [occy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 15:33

Post #14 of 16 (1277 views)

congratulations. here's the key: best recovery food is ice cream. eat lots of it. breyers is best, chocolate mint. then, don't stop running. keep going, keep moving. rest, lots of rest. lots os stretching. and more ice cream.

i interviewed a person today for an article i'm writing. he's an ultra runner. he did 2 100 mile races - one in ohio and then the great western in california - in the same week!!!!!!! and he drove from ohio to california!! also, he ran 3 marathons - detroit, chicago and new york - within 15 days of each other. what works for him??? chicken breast, pringles potato chips and spam. seriously. you can't make this stuff up. i've known him for a few years, and he's a piece of work. for him recovery is just doing more of the same.

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [rogers] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 18:02

Post #15 of 16 (1242 views)

Hello,

I just ran the Carlsbad, notice I did not say finished. Was trying to qualify for Boston and when that left the picture, I pulled out so I could get back to training.

The point of this is at about mile 6 I saw this older Japanese man that just looked liked a marathoner. I asked how many he had done, 46, and what he was planning on finishing in, 3:30. He asked why and I told him I did not have marathon experience and was hoping I could work with him to make my qualifying time, 3:15. I had on my forerunner so I knew about what we were running and that I would probably need some help late. First he told that this was a hard course to qualify on, very hilly, and that if he hadn't ran 3:20 the WEEK before at Phoenix he would have been happy to help me.

He passed me as I was walking off the course after mile 19 a couple minutes ahead of the 3:30 group.

Damn,

Brian

Re: Recovering from my first Marathon... (advice) [pedalincoastal] [ In reply to ]

Jan 18, 05 18:21

Post #16 of 16 (1235 views)

I did two marathons in one week also. Did Paris Marathon in 3:18 and then the following Sunday did London Marathon in 3:24.

Between the two marathons I had 2 massages, swam 3 times and did 2 runs on the treadmill. Massages and swimming are definitely recommended.

I also did Marathon des Sables and had to do a double marathon one day and a marathon the next. The only recovery that I could do after the double was to keep my feet elevated to reduce the swelling. Mind you, I wasn't running those marathons too quickly!

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