Today, after millions of successful completions and much research, the experts tell us the fastest way to full recovery is to be proactive and stay in motion in the hours and days immediately after crossing the finish line.
I recommend slow walking, easy bike riding, or swimming until all the stiffness and soreness is gone before jogging or running even for short distances. The mild activity will keep the blood flowing to remove built-up waste products from the muscles and hasten the healing process.
A sports massage and an ice bath within a few hours after a race are the latest tricks of the trade for the fastest recovery. I have even tried them the next day with great success. (The ice bath works especially well when staying in a hotel with unlimited ice at your disposal, courtesy of the hotel ice machine).
I fill bags, coolers, the ice bucket, and wastebaskets full, and after a luxurious hot shower, I fill the tub with warm water, sit down, relax and slowly add the ice to allow my legs to gradually get used to the dropping temperature. After 15 to 20 minutes, the results are amazing.
I recommend caution when it comes to stretching until all muscle soreness and stiffness are gone. It may seem like stretching is just what is called for, and it may feel good, but I put a limit of 80 percent of max on my stretches.
Stiff and sore large-muscle groups can mask minor injuries underneath and stretching too far can be a recipe for disaster if it turns something small into a major injury. Be alert and overly careful with your stretching for at least two weeks after a marathon. It is a prime time for a major injury to occur. Your body has been through a lot, so do everything easy and enjoy the easier workload.
Word of warning—resuming aggressive training too soon after a marathon is the single leading cause of injury. The tendency is to push too fast and too soon. Even though you may feel great and ready to go, chances are you will crash and burn if you attempt to come back aggressively.
I have noticed over the years a hidden tiredness that lingers longer if I start working out hard right after a marathon. Oh, I’ll have some good workouts here and there, but true progress week by week is delayed by not taking it easy enough for at least a few weeks. The body will tell you when it is ready to resume at full tilt. The wisdom is not to allow the mind to decide when it is time to return to a normal program.
Crossing the finish line of a marathon requires months of logistical planning, preparation, and character development. To be successful, one must become persistent, disciplined, patient, diligent, organized, flexible, focused, and committed. The beauty of the experience is that all of these attributes and virtues are honed in the process and carry over into all other areas of one’s life. You will experience increased confidence at work, in the community, at home, and in virtually all aspects of your life.
Today, it seems everyone looks for the short cut, the easy way, the most for the least, the free pass—something for nothing. We all know the truly good things don’t come that easy. They require all the attributes needed to finish a marathon.
“Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.” Use that same patient attitude when you are recovering, and you will find yourself successfully and happily crossing many new finish lines in the near future.
