Picture this: You’ve just crossed the finish line at your marathon, whether this is London, Boston, Manchester or anywhere else in the world. The crowd is electrifying, your legs are burning, your heart is pounding, and your face? A mixture of pain, pride and pure joy. 

You’ve trained months for this, sacrificed weekends, toughed out the long runs, overcome every bit of doubt that’s creeped in your mind. But! Before you start thinking about your next race… there’s one critical step you can not skip: Recovery.

Why Recovery Matters More Than You Think:

Running the marathon pushes every system in your body to the absolute limit. Muscles are pounded, your glycogen stores are wiped out, and your immune system takes a bit hit and we’ve not even touched on the mental energy it takes to get to that finish line. 

Whether this was your first marathon or your 50th, skipping recovery is like trying to build a house on a cracked foundation—sooner or later, everything collapses. 

The First 72 Hours: Celebrate, Nourish, and Move (a Little):

  • Rehydrate Like a Champion
    • Make sure to drink plenty of water and add electrolytes – Your body needs them! You will have lost tones of fluid and minerals through sweat; rehydrating helps to restore the balance, reduce muscle cramping and speed up recovery. 
  • Eat Like You Mean It
    • Prioritise carbohydrates & protein. Whether this comes from a burger, steak or a pizza this is not the time for diet culture. Your body will have burned thousands of calories over the race so it’s important to refuel.
  • Keep Moving Very Gently
    • Think short walks, gentle stretching, or even a light cycle if you are up for it. Absolutely avoid running! The goal is to get blood circulating around the body to flush out any lactate built up in the muscles and repair them.
  • Rest is Golden
    • Your best recovery tool. Sleep. Seriously aim for 8+ hours per night and don’t feel guilty for naps. You’re the one that ran a marathon!

The Week After: Be Kind to Your Body:

From days 4-10, it’s about gradually easy back

  • Try a form of cross training such as swimming or yoga 
  • Only if you are feeling ready for some light jogs around 20 minutes – don’t just do this because Strava is calling your name!
  • Keep listening to your body; soreness is okay, sharpness is not 

The ‘When Can I Train Again’ Question:

This will vary from individual to individual but generally we would recommend having at least a  7-10 day period of deloading from running and potentially adding in some other cross training depending on how the body feels. Then potentially aiming to get back a regular looking week of training 3- 4 weeks post marathon. Again using the body to guide this. 

Tips for Faster (and Smarter) Recovery:

  • Add foam rolling, light stretching and mobility back into your daily routine after the post marathon soreness has started to ease. Let the body be it’s own healer first. 
  • Epsom salt baths to help sooth those aching muscles. 
  • Get a massage booked in – Sports Therapy or even a Spa day 
  • Reflect & Reset – mentally as much as physically 

Recovery Isn’t the End – It’s the Start of What’s Next:

It’s tempting to ride the marathon high and jump straight into planning the next big race. But remember: growth comes from recovery. This is your time to absorb all the training, come back stronger, and start dreaming bigger.

So go on, celebrate your achievement, thank your body, and give it what it needs to bounce back. The next start line will be waiting—and you’ll be more ready than ever.