Running a Marathon? Here’s 3 Post Race Recovery Tips

The NYC marathon was this past weekend. Now that all the training is done and the race is run, how do you treat your body and recover. Check out these three post race recovery tips.

Foam Rolling and Fascial Work: After the race you will no doubt feel some muscle soreness. This is in part due to lactic acid (a by product of muscle injury) build up. To flush out this product, fascial work can stimulate the lymphatic system. This system helps drain the irritating chemicals and the fascial work also improve blood flow. Together this can help reduce pain, improve flexibility and address range of motion.

Hydrate the Correct Way:. After the marathon your body may be a bit dehydrated or overhydrated. When we exercise we not only loose water but we also loose salt. Keeping the balance of these two elements is key in maintaining normal hydration. So after your race make sure you get a balance of water and electrolytes. Hydrating tablets can help with this, allowing the body to return to its normal homeostasis. And continuing to hydrate for a number of days after the race will also help improve the body's recovery.

Seek Out a Physical Therapist: If your soreness persists for more than a few days, you may have sustained an injury. Instead of limping around. seek a professional's help. A PT can help assess your symptoms and can determine if your injury is muscular, ligamentous, or bony. From there, a treatment plan can be determined to get you back to the races.

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