So you’ve just completed your long term goal of completing a marathon – now what?

• The most important first step is recovery, which starts immediately post marathon as you cross that elusive finish line!

1. If you’re experiencing substantial pain, if you feel light-headed or just don’t feel ‘right’, go straight to the medical post or first aid area.

2. Make sure you refuel immediately after the race by eating and drinking something right away.

3. Resist the urge to lie down on the ground, as this will cause your legs to stiffen up immediately if you do so. Walk around for at least 10 minutes to bring your heart rate down safely, and to avoid the risk of blood pooling in your legs.

4. Sleep is crucial for the recovery process. Listen to your body and don’t feel guilty about sleeping more than you regularly do- this is totally normal. Your body is telling you it needs to rest, so listen to it!

5. Do some light stretching in the days post-marathon but be careful not to overstretch. for information on our stretches read this blogpost.

6. After a week, your sore muscles and joints should be feeling better but it is normal to still feel sluggish and tired at this point, so listen to your body and make sure you take adequate rest. Be sure to keep eating a healthy diet with lots of protein (eggs, turkey lean chicken fillets, lean cuts of red meat etc…) which will help repair and rebuild your muscles.

Feeling blue post-marathon?

• The best way to cure the post marathon blues is to set yourself a new goal. This low feeling you may encounter post-run is entirely normal and is very common. Like any big life-event, you build yourself up in preparation. Sometimes when the big event is over, you can come crashing down and feel like you have nothing to look forward to or work towards. We recommend getting out and about for walks in the evening. Meet a friend for coffee and chats or start a new workout routine right away.

• If you decided you were a “one and done” marathon competitor, why not try something different to stay fit and healthy such as joining a gym with a friend; be it Personal Training , Buddy Training or even Group Classes.

If you are thinking about trying something new to keep fit and healthy, drop our team a line and come in for a chat. Joining a gym is a great way to meet new faces, have the chats and make some new friends. The bonus is you get great results in no time at all and you will feel fantastic after just a few sessions.