This article written by two-time Olympian and Exercise Physiologist Pete Pfitzinger, answers these exact questions. Because his advice is so right on the money, I’m going to reprint it here. His advice can also apply to recovering from a half-marathon.
“After running a marathon, there are basically three options. You can: 1) vow never to run again; 2) take some time off and then gradually get back into training; or 3) jump into full training as quickly as possible. Option 1 is not recommended. Option 3 should be chosen with caution. Option 2 is almost always the wisest choice.
Your best strategy for future success after a marathon is to take a well-deserved break. Allow yourself at least three days completely off from running. There is little to gain by rushing back into training, and your risk of injury is exceptionally high after the marathon, owing to the reduced resiliency of your muscles and connective tissue. If your muscles are still sore, are tight enough to alter your running form, or, heaven forbid, you just do not feel like running, then you should take a few more days off. The nearly negligible benefits of a short run at this time are far outweighed by the risks. Taking several days off after the marathon may also prevent you from getting sick. After prolonged high-intensity exercise, your immune system is temporarily suppressed, creating an open window during which you are at increased risk of infection. After a marathon, your immune system can take up to 72 hours to return to full strength.
During the first few days you need to replace lost fluids and take in both carbohydrates, to replenish your muscles’ depleted glycogen stores, and adequate protein for muscle repair. For the first three days, eat approximately four grams of carbohydrate and 0.5 to 0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
After a few days off, you should be ready to resume easy training. The recommendations below will help you recover quickly while minimizing your risk of injury:
1. Fulfill your need to exercise by crosstraining: Alternative forms of exercise, such as swimming or cycling, are a great option because they increase blood flow through your muscles without subjecting them to the impact forces of running. Walking is also a reasonable (if slightly embarrassing) alternative for the first week or so after the marathon. Approximately 30 minutes of crosstraining per day will help speed your recovery.
2. Train with a heart monitor: Training too hard after the marathon will ultimately slow your recovery and increase your risk of injury. It takes more discipline to hold yourself back and allow a full recovery than it does to mindlessly dive back into training. One way to ensure that you do not run too hard is to set an upper limit, using a heart rate monitor. During the first 2-3 weeks, keep your heart rate below 75 percent of your maximal heart rate or 70 percent of your heart rate reserve.
For example, say your resting heart rate is 50 beats per minute and your maximal heart rate is 185 beats per minute. Using the maximal heart rate method, you would keep your heart rate below 139 beats per minute (185 X .75). Heart rate reserve is your maximal heart rate minus your resting pulse. In this example, your heart rate reserve is 135 (185 - 50). Using the heart rate reserve method, you would keep your heart rate below 145 (resting heart rate of 50 + (135 X .70)) during your recovery.
3. Avoid injury by minimizing pounding: Because your muscles and tendons are fatigued and stiff, it is critical not to stress them too soon. Running on soft surfaces will reduce the cumulative impact experienced by your legs and back. You should also avoid hills, not only because running uphill requires more effort than is optimal, but also because downhill running induces muscle damage.
4. Get a deep massage: Most serious marathoners use sports massage to speed recovery and prevent injuries. The few studies that have been conducted on the benefits of massage have shown mixed results, but I would not discourage you from a massage (or several) after a marathon. An experienced massage therapist will find sore muscles you didn’t know you had. To be effective, sports massage should be “pleasantly uncomfortable.”
5. Be flexible: The time of recovery from a marathon depends on a variety of factors: diet, quantity and quality of sleep, general health, age (we tend to recover more slowly with age), etc. There is a large variation among runners in the amount of time required to rebound from a marathon, so you should not copy your training partner’s recovery program. Nor should you devise a rigid schedule based on how you recovered from your last marathon. During recovery, base your training strictly on how you feel.”
-- Pete Pfitzinger, M.S.
As always... Health to YOU!!
Tommy
P.S. Here is the half marathon that I'm running on March 13, 2011. Check it out... and if you're in the SD area, come on out and enjoy the event!!
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/halfmarathon/
