Post Race Recovery – do donuts count!?

Over the weekend, along with over 35,000 other participants – we had legendary members take on events in the Melbourne Marathon Festival.

Undoubtedly, a lot of thought, energy and effort goes into trying to best prepare for a running event.

However, the same cannot always be said for race recovery.

If probed to be very honest, most people might admit that their post race recovery involved an afternoon of couch surfing and eating and drinking anything and everything ‘guilt free’. Furthermore, it might then include avoiding exercise for a few days…and maybe a few more days after that.

Without getting too technical, we can recommend a recovery strategy that is more likely to support your recovery, rather than just turn you into a sloth !

Ensure you hydrate well. Water and drinks that include electrolytes will reenergise your body.

Sleep. Our bodies really do recover best when we have adequate sleep (so take that afternoon nap and get an early night in bed too!)

Eat healthy fats and protein to feed that insatiable appetite! It is very tempting to treat yourself after an event – but your body will have a hard time processing that junk.

You may also benefit from an ice bath (if you are game!) or hot/cold shower. Gentle massage on tight muscles can ease tension too.

Keep moving. Believe it or not, the more you can move about the better you will feel. Using a stationary bike or going for a gentle walk when you feel up to it will likely help – and if all else fails, take some anti inflammatory tablets!

Put simply – be conscious about the way you are treating your body in the recovery phase. Nothing comes from nothing. If you don’t invest in your recovery, you are likely to continue to sloth about!