Favorite Marathon Recovery Tips

Congratulations on finishing the Disney marathon!

I love to soak in an ice bath or even just a tub full of cold water ... or take a cold shower and let the water run over my legs for several minutes.

Then I sit on my couch and eat potato chips.

Couple beers after the event.

6 mile run the next day.

For my one and only I ate two dozen raw oysters then hit Bourbon Street.

Plus some light trainer spinning for a week or so.  It seems the better runner people are, the more they seem to take to a recovery run.  At the time I didn't even want to walk, much less run, but now I'm starting to see how it might feel pretty good.

I like 2 Coors Lites to wash down 2 Vicadin tablets then a nice long nap.

All kidding aside congrats on finishing the Marathon. I like to swim for an hour I don't count laps and spin easy outside if possible if not the trainer will work.

chevy57  

Tour the US Capital and Library of Congress the day after.

Oh, wait, that was a tip on what you shouldn't do post-marathon. But it was funny to see a couple dozen Cajuns going up and down all those stairs backwards.

Skydiving off the north shore of Oahu was a much better post-marathon day-after adventure.

Most have already been mentioned, but an ice bath feels great.  Also did a ton of walking the next couple of days (kind of had to, b/c I was in Vegas).  But walking sure helps.  Then get in the pool, etc. 

Also, Bear offers some good advice on stairs.  Take them backwards, your quads will thank you!

The day after.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-hCuYjvw2I

All of the above works, I usually have a headache later in the day so some alka selzter does wonders for me..   I did a bunch of walking after the Las Vegas marathon and the legs felt much better the next day....

My advice is to take the week off and do what you want. After 4 marathon training cycles I am really good during training and do all the things that i should like ice baths and foam rolling. But after the race all i want is a shower and then some reward food!! A huge milkshake is my favourite!!  Oh and I take the day after the race off from work.  In the days following, there's not much that will circumvent muscle soreness - some people don't feel it as much as others but stairs will hurt, sitting down will hurt.  The week after the marathon is one of my few rest weeks over the year so i just relax!!

Congrats if you just completed!! That's a huge accomplishment!

BBQ....then Fresh fruit and veggies.  Stretched my legs plenty. I also painted my entire kitchen and living room/den area with my parents the two days following...come to think of it, we painted after my first HIM too...seems painting works.