Recovery Time -- Question for Runners

annbanan85

Good morning! I have a question for all of the long distance runners out there. Yesterday I ran my first ever half marathon. How long of a "recovery time" should I give myself before I can hit the gym again?

I am feeling extremely sore today -- nothing intolerable, just very, very stiff. What is a safe amount of time for recovery before I begin working out again? I understand running is out of the question for at least a few days (perhaps more, as I stated, this is my first half marathon) but is it okay to hit a stairclimber or eliptical? Or should I just wait a couple of days before I exercise at all?

Any insight would be much appreciated!

seekingstrengthX2

I ran my first half marathon on a Saturday... went to the gym on Tuesday for my normal visit, did the elliptical for 45 minutes. It actually made my legs feel better.

BrianSharpe

Start working out again right away but keep it low intensity.

The "rule of thumb" I was taught was 1 day for every mile of the race but after my last half marathon I was running again after a couple of days (short easy runs) and took it easy for about a week.


BTW, congrats on your first 13.1!

widruns

Congrats on your first HM! I always run a little bit the day after a race - just a few easy miles to shake out the soreness/stiffness. Go ahead and get back to the gym. The eliiptical is a great choice for recovery. If you lift weights, just lighten up a bit. You can also just use body weight for stuff like lunges and squats - the range of motion will help you stretch. Good luck!

annbanan85

Thank you so much!!!! I really appreciate it!

sjohnny

I have no personal experience but my dad ran a couple of marathons many years ago. After the first he took several days off. The day after the second he went out and ran an easy 5K. He said he felt a lot better after the run and his total recovery was much shorter.