You’ve done it – you trained hard, you ate well and it has all paid off as you finally cross the finish line of your marathon. It clearly must have taken a lot of knowledge, training and determination to get your body to this point, but have you given much thought on how to care for yourself after the marathon? Not to worry, we here at Cornerstone have the perfect tips on how to help your body recover.
Crossing the finish line
First of all, enjoy the high! You’ve just pushed your body to the extreme, revel in it for a few minutes and celebrate with your loved ones. After that, it is time to get your body back to normal. It’s best to get some fresh clothes on; something warm as your body will start to get cold rather quickly – it may not help recovery necessarily in the long run but you’ll feel the benefits there and then.
Many marathoners complain that eating is the last thing on their mind afterward due to an unsettled stomach, however, your body needs the energy to recover. Refueling with something easy and nutritious such as some fruit, an energy bar or even a smoothie will give your body that much-needed boost.
A couple of hours later
Once you get back home it’s time to give your legs a good soak. It’s best to fill a bathtub with cold water and ice, enough to cover the lower half of your body and then hop in for around 15 minutes. An ice bath is a tool used by many sportsmen and women on their road to recovery. The cold water causes your blood vessels to tighten and makes the blood rush out of your legs, causing them to go numb. Then once you leave the cold water, your legs are replenished as new blood fills them. Once out of the bath, have a walk around to loosen your legs and then it’s time to sleep – it has been a long day after all!
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A few days after the marathon
Over the coming days, there are still things you can do to ensure your body stays on the right track. You need to keep those energy levels up and eating lots of protein, carbohydrates and fruits will help not only with this but also in getting your body back to a great condition. Again, soaking your legs will help them heal and getting a massage will help those aching muscles. After around a week you’ll be ready to start some light exercising.
Of course, the time you take to recover may differ from those around you, that all depends on your own body and what you do to take care of it. With these tips, you will be feeling great again soon and ready for the next challenge. So, well done on finishing that marathon – go on and have some well-deserved drinks to celebrate!
Shout out to Cornerstone team members, Viv and Steve, on running their first marathon in London this weekend. Good luck!