Whether you crossed the London Marathon finish line with all the grace of a gazelle at the weekend, or you’re more the dutifully plodding your way through a 10K type, running can be tough on the body.
And while that long-awaited post-race is all the sweeter for being so hard-earned, stiff muscles, aches and pains inevitably follow. To help, British Vogue asked personal trainer Luke Worthington to share some of his top tips to ensure you’re race and recovery ready.
“The first thing to do after a long run is switch your running shoes for some loose footwear, like sliders. The feet swell during the event and can take a while to calm down, so trainers will be uncomfortable to put back on. Then for a couple of days afterwards, wear Birkenstocks or Crocs to allow the feet to recover.”
“After any bout of strenuous activity, it’s important to refuel. An endurance event, such as a 10K or marathon, will have depleted the energy reserves we have in our muscles (muscle glycogen), and replenishing this is vital to recovery.
Muscle glycogen is most effectively replaced via carbohydrates – a rough guide is to aim for 0.5g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight.”
“There are a number of high-tech recovery aids available to us all nowadays, but what has always proven to be the most effective recovery tools are hydration, sleep and adequate nutrition.
Our body’s natural repair and recovery processes are at their peak whilst we are asleep – our sleeping brains trigger a release of growth hormone that is vital for regeneration at a cellular level, repairing everything from muscles to skin, hair and nails.”
“During days one to three after a long run, I advise doing as little as possible other than eating, sleeping and hydrating.
On day four, you can return to the gym and start to work through some low level mobility exercises – they promote blood flow to and from the muscles, aiding in transport of nutrients towards them and waste products away from them, which is an essential part of the recovery process.
By day five or six, most people are ready for longer walks of up to 30 minutes.
After that, days seven to 14 should be about a very managed level of activity: staying mobile, encouraging blood flow but keeping both volume and intensity down. I wouldn’t advise any running or lifting weights for a full two weeks after the event.”
“Ice baths, as well as cryotherapy chambers, can help with reducing inflammation. If they are cold enough, they can also help speed up recovery processes by boosting blood flow to the chilled areas, once removed from the bath.
Meanwhile, warm baths feel great in the short term, as heat acts as a mild analgesic, however be careful about having one immediately post-run as they can also promote inflammation.
A magnesium salt bath is a very effective way to calm down the nervous system and improve cell communication. It’s great for promoting restful sleep, which as mentioned is the most effective recovery tool there is.”
“CBD products have an anti-inflammatory effect, as well as promoting sleep. I often recommend using them on sore muscles as a topical anti-inflammatory.
Compression garments can also help with recovery as they manage inflammation while promoting circulation and drainage – much in the way that flight socks do.
In fact, flight socks are really just as effective (and cheaper) than expensive sports compression garments, although maybe not as flattering.”
“Most people tend to injure themselves preparing for a marathon – due to the volume and frequency of the training required – as opposed to during it.
If you are unfortunate enough to suffer an injury during the event, it is important to get it assessed as quickly as possible.
A suitably qualified injury specialist (such as a physiotherapist or sports therapist), will help you understand if it is an injury that needs additional treatment, and will also be able to guide you through the rehab and return to exercise process.
In the interim, the most effective ways of managing swelling in the short term are to ice the affected area, apply light compression, and elevate the area above your heart.”
This originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk
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