What you do in the days following a marathon is just as important as what you did before. Running 26.2 miles places high demands on the body and you’re likely to end up with depleted fuel stores, accumulated fluid in the muscles, dehydration and perhaps some damaged muscle tissue. So, not surprisingly, you will be susceptible to injury and infection after the race.
Unfortunately, there’s no formula for calculating how long your body will take to recover – this will vary from runner to runner. A seasoned marathon runner – or someone whose training plan included a high mileage base – can expect to bounce back quicker than a marathon novice for example.
Soft Tissue Therapy is a great way to aid recovery and get you back training soon after the marathon.
Benefits of Massage:
- Reduce pain
- Reduce muscle soreness
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce stress hormone- Cortisol
- Reduce lactic acid by increasing blood circulation
- Improve mobility
When to get a massage?
- 1-3 days post marathon- a light flushing massage
- 3-5 days post marathon- Deep Tissue massage
Other recovery tips:
Home remedies:
- Cold/hot bath post marathon
- Sleep
- Nutrition
Self Massage:
- Foam roller
- The stick
- Massage ball