From the second you cross the finish line to the days following.

Your feet hurt, you have tight hips and lower back pain, and you feel an overwhelming urge to sit down - you’ve just finished your 13.1-mile run. 

So, what should you do to recover from a half marathon?

While lying on the tarmac and enjoying a cold beer may sound appealing, it’s not the best for recovery. And you’ll certainly feel it tomorrow.

Instead, follow a recovery routine, such as getting a recovery snack, doing gentle cool-down exercises with a few stretches, and drinking plenty of water to kick-start the recovery process.

The remainder of this blog post explains how to recover from a half marathon successfully.

What you will learn:

  • How long it takes to recover from a half marathon

  • What to do immediately after running 13.1 miles

  • What to do later in the day (and the following days) to maximise recovery

How long does it take to recover from a half marathon?

Allow up to 14 days to fully recover from a half marathon.

You can still run, but at least 2 to 3 full rest days are recommended and anywhere up to 7 days if needed.

Do not do any high-intensity runs, like tempo sessions or intervals, until after two weeks. This increases fatigue, hinders recovery, and also increases the risk of injury. Take it very easy to speed up the recovery process.

Half marathon recovery after the race

Half marathon recovery starts the moment you cross the finish line and up to 14 days after the event.

To improve recovery and return to running sooner, with less fatigue and more energy, there are certain things you can do, like replacing lost fluids and electrolytes and walking/jogging soon after finishing.

Continue reading for more tips to help you improve your half marathon recovery.

1. Keep moving 

As tempting as it may be to sit down after a half marathon, do your best to keep it moving.

Do a gentle walk or a very, very slow cool-down run.

Very slow movement helps keep the blood flowing and aids in removing waste products. It also helps deliver much-needed nutrients to support the recovery process. You don’t need to keep moving all day, but walking a little can help stretch your legs and prevent them from getting stiff.

Also, although not recovery advice, you should be warming up with a light jog or gentle walk and dynamic stretches before a half marathon to improve performance.

2. Refuel with carbs and protein 

After a half marathon, you want to restock and refuel your depleted glycogen stores. Research recommends a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to improve recovery after endurance exercise [2].

BAR+ contains 45g of carbs and 15g of protein to help kickstart your half marathon recovery.

Many runners find it difficult to eat real food or a full meal after a half marathon or other endurance event. A recovery bar is easy on the stomach and quick to eat, making it an ideal post-race snack.

A few hours after your half marathon, try to eat a full meal with plenty of carbohydrates and protein.

Carbohydrates restock glycogen stores (energy), and protein helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue. If possible, try to get a source of protein every 3-4 hours to elevate protein synthesis (this provides the body and muscles with a constant supply of amino acids to support recovery) [1].

3. Rehydrate 

You lose fluids and electrolytes when you sweat.

If your half marathon was especially hot or humid, or if you’re a salty sweater, consider using electrolytes during your race. SLT07 perfectly mimics the ratio of electrolytes lost in sweat and ensures rapid rehydration.

Post-half marathon, drink lots of fluids and add electrolytes to replace those lost during sweat. If you don’t replace fluid and electrolyte loss, you are more likely to get muscle and leg cramps. You may also be dehydrated, which negatively affects recovery.

So drink lots of water and fluids and replace those lost electrolytes for improved recovery.

Later that day

Half marathon recovery does not end after you cross the finish line. To improve recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and more, there are lots you can and should do. 

Continue reading to find out how to improve your half marathon recovery.

1. Eat a full meal 

Hopefully, after finishing, you had a snack with protein and carbohydrates to kickstart the recovery process. 

Anywhere from 1-3 hours after your half marathon, try to eat a full meal.

Don’t overthink it.

If you can only stomach a burger and a handful of fries, that’s okay!

However, if possible, try to eat a balanced meal with plenty of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. A serving or two of vegetables is a bonus.

You want to replenish glycogen stores to facilitate rapid glycogen resynthesis, which will help reduce performance decline and enable muscles to repair and adapt. It will also give you more energy.

Protein helps repair muscle cells and tissue.

Continue to drink 440-500ml/fluid/hour to support recovery (delivery of nutrients) and prevent dehydration.  

2. Take an ice bath or cold shower

If you’re feeling brave, consider an ice bath or a cold shower after your half marathon.

Cold exposure can significantly reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery. This may help reduce muscle soreness in the following days and help you return to training sooner.

3. Prioritise quality sleep

After a half marathon, do your best to get a good night’s sleep.

It’s easier said than done, but sleep is when your body repairs and rebuilds after a hard workout or a run, like a half marathon.

During sleep, growth hormone is released, which repairs damaged muscle tissue. Energy stores are replenished, and oxygen is sent to the muscles and body to regenerate cells.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to feel sore and fatigued.

For tips on how to improve sleep, read our blog post on sleep and exercise recovery.

You can also take a nap if needed. For some people, a nap during the day makes it more difficult to fall asleep at night. If this is you, skip the nap and head to bed at a good time instead.

The following days

The days after your half marathon, you’ll likely be sore, tired, and perhaps a little run-down.

That’s okay! 

Continue to drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes to ensure proper hydration.

Eat plenty of carbohydrates and ensure you get enough protein, ideally a source of protein every 3-4 hours to support muscle recovery. 

After 2 to 3 days of complete rest, if you feel up for it, consider active recovery. This can include an easy walk, cycle, swim, or other low-intensity exercise. 

Active recovery increases blood flow and sends nutrients needed to support recovery to the muscles.

When you start running again, keep it very easy and don’t rush back into interval, tempo, and long runs. Doing so increases your injury risk and delays your recovery.

What not to do after a half marathon?

It’s easy to get caught up in the post-race buzz, perhaps enjoying a pint or skipping a post-workout snack.

And while these sound harmless, they can actually slow your recovery.

Furthermore, after a successful half marathon you might feel extra motivated to continue training, perhaps with a new goal in mind, like a marathon.

It’s important to give yourself plenty of rest before starting a new block of training to ensure proper recovery. You can often do more damage than good, even if you don’t feel it at the time.

Overtraining is common and can lead to injury, burnout, and other issues.

Take it slow, enjoy some time off from running (it also makes you appreciate it more!), and plan your next goal.

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References:

  1. Mamerow, M.M., Mettler, J.A., English, K.L., Casperson, S.L., Arentson-Lantz, E., Sheffield-Moore, M., Layman, D.K. and Paddon-Jones, D., 2014. Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 144(6), pp.876-880.

  2. Moore, D.R., 2015. Nutrition to support recovery from endurance exercise: optimal carbohydrate and protein replacement. Current sports medicine reports, 14(4), pp.294-300.