Marathon Recovery: How To Recover Faster from a Marathon

You’ve done it! After months of training and preparation, you’ve completed a massive 26.2 mile race. It’s an incredible achievement and something you should rightly be proud of. 

And now it’s time to think about marathon recovery. While distance running is undoubtedly good for you, running a marathon puts your body under enormous stress. You’ll likely be dehydrated, your muscles will have sustained some damage, and your immune system will be working at a lower rate than usual. And this is where proper post marathon recovery comes in.  

It’s common for runners - particularly first time marathon finishers - to forget to plan for recovery after a marathon. That’s hardly surprising - there’s so much to think about in advance of the race itself. But having a marathon recovery plan can really pay off - and help you avoid any unnecessary setbacks. 

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about recovery after a marathon. 

What happens to your body during a marathon?

To understand the importance of recovery after a marathon, it’s valuable to know what’s happened to your body during the race. Key changes include:

• Inflammation

After running a marathon, research shows that biomarkers of inflammation are present in your body up to nine days after the race. This essentially shows that your body is repairing damage for several days. 

• Muscle damage

Intense, long-distance running will cause microscopic tears in your muscles - particularly those in your legs, but elsewhere too. This causes a lot of soreness. 

• Depleted energy stores

Your body will draw on glycogen and fat stores to keep you going through your race. It can take several days for those energy stores to recover, researchers have found. 

• Tired lungs

You’ll have been breathing hard for several hours during your marathon, and that can cause fatigue in your respiratory system, according to studies. 

• Spinal shrinkage

Running for several hours will compress your spine. This can cause lower back pain. 

• Dehydration and electrolytes

One survey found that runners typically finish marathons 3-4% dehydrated and replace less than 50% of their sweat losses. When you sweat, you lose electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) which are important for the functioning of your nervous system. 

• Weakened immune system

During a marathon, research shows your immune system is suppressed due to the stress your body is under, and this can increase your chances of getting ill. 

The good news is that with a proper post marathon recovery plan, all of these issues can be addressed. 

ASICS’ marathon recovery plan

Use our plan for marathon recovery to take care of yourself after the event, avoid unnecessary discomfort, and return to your running routine as soon as is safe. 

The first couple of hours after the race

After you’ve crossed the finish line, you’ll probably experience a whole flood of emotions! Elation and pride may well be combined with extreme fatigue. 

After taking your achievement in, use the following post-marathon recovery checklist to plan your first hour or so after the race. 

• Keep moving: You might be tempted to simply ‘crash’, but it’s sensible to keep moving as much as possible. This can help prevent your muscles from seizing up. Aim to continue moving slowly for at least 10-15 minutes after crossing the finish line so you can cool down properly. 

• Change clothes: Your running clothes will be wet from sweat, so it’s important to change into fresh, dry and warm clothes to avoid getting too cold. Loose, comfortable tracksuits, hoodies, and joggers are ideal. 

• Have a snack: As soon as possible, eat a snack to help with recovery. Ideally, it should be something containing carbs and protein - sports bars are perfect, but even a simple banana is great.

• Rehydrate: You will be dehydrated, so you’ll want to start drinking water. However, you don’t want to drink too much too soon either. Because your body has sweated out so many electrolytes, hydrating too fast could cause hyponatremia (having too little sodium in your body) - which can cause headaches, nausea and confusion. Aim to drink about 500ml per hour. Water is fine, but you could also treat yourself to a sports energy drink that contains electrolytes. 

• Cool down and stretch: After 15-30 minutes, you can stop moving and start stretching out your legs, back and abdomen. 

• Consider wearing compression clothing: Compression clothing is known to support recovery by encouraging blood to flow to your muscles.

• Footwear: Get out of your running shoes and put on some comfortable, supportive footwear. Slides can be a good option. 

• Avoid painkillers: Unless you’re in severe pain from a running injury, it’s best to avoid taking painkillers as these can take a toll on organs which are already under stress from the race. 

Marathon recovery for the rest of the day

The rest of your first day of recovery from the marathon should be all about relaxing and treating yourself. There are no hard and fast rules, but some of the top things to consider for recovery include:

• Cold treatment: Getting into an ice bath might not be immediately appealing! But plenty of research shows that cold treatments can help reduce muscle soreness after a marathon. There may be ice baths available at the marathon itself. Or you can just run a cold bath at home and put some bags of ice in it. Spend no more than 15 minutes in the ice bath. 

• Hot-cold therapy: Alternating hot-cold treatment is also a good option. The cold helps reduce inflammation, while the hot encourages blood flow to repair damage. The easiest method is simply to take a long shower, switching between hot and cold water, aiming the water at sore muscles in your legs and back. 

• Get a sports massage: Sports massages are also known to help with recovery and reduce muscle soreness after a marathon. 

• Eat well: You will have burned through thousands of calories running a marathon, so you deserve a big meal. At this point, you don’t need to think too much about nutrition for your post marathon recovery food - treat yourself to your favourite meal! That said, eating food with plenty of carbs and protein will certainly help your recovery. 

• Keep hydrating: Continue hydrating throughout the day. As a simple test, check the colour of your pee - if it’s dark brown or yellow, you’re likely dehydrated. If it’s light yellow or clear, you’re hydrated. 

Sleep 

A good night’s sleep is, without a doubt, the most important part of any post-marathon recovery plan. You may find you fall asleep easily the night of your marathon. If so, turn off your alarm and sleep as long as your body needs. 

However, it’s not uncommon to have restless legs or to feel alert the night after your marathon - you might still be ‘buzzing’ from adrenaline. This can be frustrating, but try and relax with some calming music and just let your body rest. Having another warm shower or doing some gentle stretching might also help you drop off. 

Post marathon recovery plan: week 1

In your first week after the marathon, you will likely be sore and your legs may feel very stiff. At this point, your focus should be on recovery. Here are a few pointers for marathon recovery in the first week. 

• Check for injuries: You will probably be very sore, but this is a normal part of recovery. However, there are certain signs that you may have sustained an injury too. Watch out for things like:

• Sharp pains in joints or muscles

• Noticeable bruising or swelling

• A specific pain that lasts for more than three days

• Unstable joints (for example, it doesn’t feel ‘safe’ to balance one-legged with your weight on the joint).

• Numbness or tingling. 

See a doctor or a physio if you suspect you have an injury. 

• Foot care: It’s not usual to get blisters when you run a marathon. If the blisters ‘pop’ naturally, then apply antiseptic cream and plasters. Resist the temptation to ‘pop’ them yourself - it’s best to let your body clear them naturally. 

• Nutrition: The best marathon recovery foods and meals should focus on proteins and carbohydrates. That said, your body will need a wide range of nutrients from all the food groups, so a Mediterranean-style diet is a good option since it includes all the vitamins and minerals you need. 

• Begin some gentle exercise: In the week after the marathon, it’s valuable to do some gentle exercise to help loosen up. Daily walks are a good place to start, while stretching exercises such as yoga can be helpful too. You could also begin using a foam roller to release tight muscles. 

• Use marathon recovery treatments: If you’re experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) or other aches and pains, there are several different kinds of treatment that can help with recovery. You can try alternating between hot and cold treatments during this week. Visiting a sauna is another option to really work out muscle tension. A professional sports massage can also be a great investment. 

Post marathon recovery plan: week 2

By the end of your first week of marathon recovery, you should start to be feeling back to normal and the soreness in your legs will have mainly disappeared. Now you can gradually return to your regular running routine. 

Start slow - perhaps just doing a gentle 5k on your first run back. From there, it’s a case of listening to your body and gradually increasing the distance each run. 

Learn more: Returning to training after your marathon

Planning your next steps

Once you’ve finished your recovery after a marathon, it’s a great opportunity to take stock of your progress, and think about where you want to take your running next. Options include:

• Training for a personal best: Now you know your marathon time, you can start building towards a PB in your next event. Our guide on increasing your speed gives pointers on where to start. 

• Try a different sort of event: There are so many exciting kinds of distance running events out there. You could train for a triathlon, some kind of ultra marathon, or maybe shift over to trail running instead. 

• Reflecting on the marathon: If you found you didn’t enjoy the marathon experience as much as expected, it’s worth reflecting on why. Perhaps your training or nutrition weren’t quite right. Or maybe the style of the event isn’t to your taste. That’s OK! There are plenty of other kinds of race out there that might suit you better. Try Park Runs, 10k races, fell running - or something else!

You might like: 8 running tips for a faster marathon

Time for new running shoes?

It’s generally recommended that runners replace their shoes every 400-500 miles (depending on your weight, running style and sex). After several weeks of training and the marathon itself, your shoes may no longer offer the cushioning and support you need. If they feel less responsive than before, it might be time for a new pair of running shoes. 

The importance of marathon recovery

With all the excitement and adrenaline of race day, it’s easy to forget to plan for your recovery after a marathon. But the benefits of having a proper marathon recovery routine are significant. From avoiding illness, to feeling less sore, and getting your energy levels back, having a marathon recovery plan will mean you'll be ready to start running again sooner. 

Common questions about marathon recovery

We’ve answered some of your top questions about recovery after a marathon. 

How long does it take to recover from a marathon?

Everyone’s different, but it typically takes at least one week for your body to fully recover from a marathon. 

What should I do immediately after finishing a marathon?

Once you cross the finish line, it’s important to keep moving - continue walking slowly for at least 15 minutes to cool down. You should also eat a snack, rehydrate, and change out of your running clothes into something dry and warm. 

How can I manage post-race muscle soreness and stiffness?

Methods to manage post marathon soreness include sleep, stretching, foam rolling exercises and massage. An ice bath on the day of the marathon can help, while alternating hot-cold therapy in the days after the race is also beneficial. 

Should I rest or engage in active recovery after a marathon?

Your priority for marathon recovery should be to rest for at least three days after the event. After that, it’s fine to do some very gentle exercise, such as walking, yoga, or using exercise bikes/elliptical trainers at a low level. 

When can I resume running or intense training after a marathon?

It’s best to wait at least one week before you resume running after a marathon. Start with gentle, short runs, and only gradually build up to more intense running after at least two weeks.