Marathon Recovery Guide

Good luck for the London Marathon this weekend, we are looking forward to cheering you on! Once you have crossed that finish line your body will need some looking after. To make it simple we have put together a step-by-step Marathon Recovery Guide for you!

Phase 1: Straight After the Race

Naturally, you’ll be exhausted, but getting your recovery right in the moments immediately after you stop are the most critical.

MOVE: Do not sit down once you receive your medal. Walk for at least 15–20 minutes to keep blood flowing and prevent blood from pooling in your legs.

GET DRY: Your body temperature will drop rapidly once you stop running. Get warm and dry clothes on straight away.

REFUEL: Prepare electrolytes, and a snack with a mix of protein and carbs in it to have in the first 30 to 60 minutes after the race.

CHECK: Once you’re back at your base, inspect for blisters or hot spots. Clean and protect them early to avoid any infection.

ELEVATE: When you finally get to a couch, elevate your legs for 10 to 20 minutes to help drain fluid and reduce swelling.

Phase 2: The Next Couple of Days

This is when the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) will hit its hardest. Your goal is to support repair, not “fix” the pain.

SLEEP: Prioritize 7–9+ hours. This is when your growth hormones do the heavy lifting of tissue repair.

COOL: Stick to cool or lukewarm showers. Avoid too much heat as it can increase inflammation and swelling in micro-damaged tissues.

WALK: Reintroduce movement with gentle walking. Nothing more than 15 to 20 minutes per day.

MOBILITY: Do not do aggressive “static” stretching (like reaching for your toes). Instead, use low-load movements such as ankle pumps/circles, seated leg extensions, and supine knee rolls (lying on your back, dropping knees side to side).

MASSAGE: Keep any massage very gentle. Your muscle fibres are still too fragile for any deep tissue work.

Phase 3: The Turning Point from day 4 to 7

Your “Invisible Fatigue” (nervous system tiredness) is still high, even if your legs start feeling better.

MASSAGE: You can now move toward moderate pressure massage if the initial soreness has subsided.

COMPRESS: Continue wearing compression socks if you feel heavy or swollen.

FOOD: Keep the protein intake high to continue repairing muscle fibres.

KEEP AN EYE: If you have sharp, localized pain (not just a general ache) or a limp that won’t go away, give us a call and we can give you treatment advice.

Phase 4: The Following Week

Only consider running if you can walk comfortably without any lingering soreness.

RUN 1: If you feel up to it go for a very light ‘trial’ run. Keep it short, no longer than 20–30 mins

MOVE: If you want a break from running but are ready to get the blood flowing again, you could try something low impact such as swimming or light cycling.