Marathon recovery!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
What an accomplishment! I am glad to hear that your flu didn't hold you back too much. I got hit hard with the flu this weekend and I have a marathon in early February so I am a bit nervous about my weekend off.
My usual recovery is to take the Monday following off and then ease back into running with a 2-3 mile run on Tuesday. Depending on how I feel, I'll either continue running Wednesday or take another day off. By Saturday, I'll run 5-6 miles. I'm not a big one for time off. I think the only "wrong" thing to do is run more than you really want to. I know people that take a full week post-marathon and it seems to work well for them.1 -
Also, as for your original post - I am a forefoot striker... until I get exhausted. Then I heel strike. And my body doesn't like it.
Do you wear a cadence shoe track?
I was wondering if that was the case with me as well, I wear a neutral shoe.
Thanks for the fantastic advice everyone! I’m really sore this morning in both knees, much worse than yesterday! I guess the adrenaline and excitement from the race finally wore off lol!
Just a thought, have you ever tried KT tape? Some people swear by it, some people say its useless. Might be placebo but they work wonders for me in preventing and alleviating knee pain.1 -
Also, as for your original post - I am a forefoot striker... until I get exhausted. Then I heel strike. And my body doesn't like it.
Do you wear a cadence shoe track?
I was wondering if that was the case with me as well, I wear a neutral shoe.
Thanks for the fantastic advice everyone! I’m really sore this morning in both knees, much worse than yesterday! I guess the adrenaline and excitement from the race finally wore off lol!
Just a thought, have you ever tried KT tape? Some people swear by it, some people say its useless. Might be placebo but they work wonders for me in preventing and alleviating knee pain.
I’ve heard of it, I actually found a brace that works well though. I damaged my knee right before the race and wouldn’t have made it through without that thing. Everything I read about KT tape they said you have to know how to apply it right, so I was hesitant to go down that route. I have chondromalicia (runners knee) so usually just have to lay off of it until it heals and I’m supposed to do strengthening exercises. I’m probably not going to push it since I don’t have a race coming up now 😊.0 -
how are the legs today?1
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TavistockToad wrote: »how are the legs today?
Sore as heck lol, but now it feels like the normal kind of sore. The bad knee seems to be trouble still but everything else improved a lot.
It’s kind of eye opening for me, maybe it’s because of my set backs or maybe not but the marathon distance was definitely a lot more taxing on my body. The half marathon was a tough race, but I was walking around
fine the next day. I’m not sure if I would do this distance again.
I’m seriously in awe of people that do back to back races!1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »how are the legs today?
Sore as heck lol, but now it feels like the normal kind of sore. The bad knee seems to be trouble still but everything else improved a lot.
It’s kind of eye opening for me, maybe it’s because of my set backs or maybe not but the marathon distance was definitely a lot more taxing on my body. The half marathon was a tough race, but I was walking around
fine the next day. I’m not sure if I would do this distance again.
I’m seriously in awe of people that do back to back races!
I don’t think it’s your setbacks. I have run several half’s and a few longer and was Ok after all of them. Maybe a little tired - a little sore. But the marathon? Omg. That was a whole different beast. Everything about it was monumentally different from a half.
Let us know when you pick your next one.
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If you're wearing a neutral shoe, OP, you may want to consider plunking down some cashola and trying a forefoot striking shoe. I used to use Newtons (and swore by them for years)... until I started running with ON running shoes.
I live in NYC so I have a Jackrabbit's right by me, but if you've never had your run analyzed, you definitely should. I'm all about the forefoot strike for as long as humanly possible.1 -
Duck_Puddle wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »how are the legs today?
Sore as heck lol, but now it feels like the normal kind of sore. The bad knee seems to be trouble still but everything else improved a lot.
It’s kind of eye opening for me, maybe it’s because of my set backs or maybe not but the marathon distance was definitely a lot more taxing on my body. The half marathon was a tough race, but I was walking around
fine the next day. I’m not sure if I would do this distance again.
I’m seriously in awe of people that do back to back races!
I don’t think it’s your setbacks. I have run several half’s and a few longer and was Ok after all of them. Maybe a little tired - a little sore. But the marathon? Omg. That was a whole different beast. Everything about it was monumentally different from a half.
Let us know when you pick your next one.
Seriously I’d tell someone who never ran it before that it’s like a combination of getting hit by a bus and beat up lol, I guess I’m a runner now?
You’re right, I just put a fresh new training plan on my fridge this morning oops, that happened fast. 🙄😂1 -
If you're wearing a neutral shoe, OP, you may want to consider plunking down some cashola and trying a forefoot striking shoe. I used to use Newtons (and swore by them for years)... until I started running with ON running shoes.
I live in NYC so I have a Jackrabbit's right by me, but if you've never had your run analyzed, you definitely should. I'm all about the forefoot strike for as long as humanly possible.
That’s a good point, I’m not so sure the neutral shoe was a wise choice for me. I had my gait analyzed at a running store but they watched for about two seconds, I’m sure as I get tired I’m heel striking but it doesn’t seem to happen until mile 18-20. So if you’re a heel striker you need a forefoot striking shoe?
For about 5 years I wore Vibrams bare foot running shoes, I was all into the “minimalist” barefoot running, I think it really did a number on my knees and caused all this damage. Especially if I was heel striking with no shoes, my knees have just never been the same since. I wouldn’t be against trying something with more support now.0 -
I haven't ever done a marathon...I mostly cycle...but my wife has done one. She was out of commission for basically a couple weeks. One week she did pretty much nothing and the next week she just did some walking. Her issues were mostly her feet...they were very sore and on top of that she had some major blistering. She has stated that she's glad she did it, but she will never do that distance again and will stick with 1/2s and 10Ks...mostly 10Ks these days.
A week or two of recovery isn't really going to have much impact on your fitness.2 -
That’s a good point, I’m not so sure the neutral shoe was a wise choice for me. I had my gait analyzed at a running store but they watched for about two seconds, I’m sure as I get tired I’m heel striking but it doesn’t seem to happen until mile 18-20. So if you’re a heel striker you need a forefoot striking shoe?
Everyone has their own running style. For me, if I'm using a shoe that's made for forefront striking, it helps me keep in the forefront with minimal effort for a few extra miles. It may be enough to get you to the finish still forefoot striking, but beware the dreaded calf cramp!
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I've not run a marathon, but I was a half-marathoner in the same race, and wanted to commend you and surviving! It was cold and wet and horrendeous, but being a finisher, in THOSE conditions, is an amazing accomplishment!
Way to go! Come back and do it again when the weather's better, though, you'll love the course even more.2 -
amykay9377 wrote: »I've not run a marathon, but I was a half-marathoner in the same race, and wanted to commend you and surviving! It was cold and wet and horrendeous, but being a finisher, in THOSE conditions, is an amazing accomplishment!
Way to go! Come back and do it again when the weather's better, though, you'll love the course even more.
What no way!!!!! Small world 😁! Aww thank you and great job to you too! It looked like it was a beautiful course, I wish i could have seen it not flooded lol. Bet it would have been even more amazing. The volunteers were just so awesome, I was so impressed those kids stuck around in the rain and cold for so many hours.1 -
Congratulations on your Marathon (and your 1/2 Marathon amykay9377!) Those conditions looked BRUTAL! Did you run Miami?
A quick note about a heel to toe foot strike: I did the same thing for many years and ended up with a fractured lateral tibial plateau because of it. What happens is that you inevitably overstride. My suggestion is that after getting adequate recovery (I always got a massage, laid low the week after and then started out with shorter runs), you evaluate how your legs, particularly your knees, feel and if you feel ok then do a few short runs. Don't be afraid to take more time off if you feel it's necessary. Elite runners typically take a month off after a marathon. Good luck!
ETA: Once you return to running, try to focus on adopting more of a forefoot strike.1 -
Massage may feel good, but I mostly just it just takes time. I wouldn't run very hard or very long until the pain really starts to abate. It can take up to a week, depending on your level of training beforehand. In the meantime you can walk, ellipticate, stationary bike, swim, etc.1
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