Take care of yourself after marathon to end pain faster, speed muscle recovery
Published Monday July 6th, 2009
Ouch! | Expert says expect to be sore for at least a week
WINNIPEG - Your legs ache so much that even a simple step is absolute agony. Your head pounds as if you spent last night chugging a bottle of Jack Daniel's. You're so physically exhausted and sore you would swear that a tractor drove over you in your sleep.
The latest killer flu strain?
Not exactly.
Welcome to the morning after.
The morning after the marathon, that is.
Congratulations. If you completed either a half marathon (21 kilometres/13 miles) or a full marathon (42 kilometres/26 miles) the day before, you've accomplished an amazing feat, no matter what your pace.
But now you're paying the price: soreness and lethargy - consequences that come with the territory, say experts.
"After a marathon, you're going to experience pain, no matter what," says Jorie Janzen, a registered dietitian and president of the Sport Medicine and Science Council of Manitoba.
Janzen, who advises Royal Winnipeg Ballet dancers, notes however, that taking care of yourself in the minutes and days following the marathon is essential to end the pain faster and speed up muscle recovery.
That means eating well, hydrating properly, doing the right activities and taking time to rest, says Dean Kriellaars, an exercise physiologist.
"There is a lot of voodoo out there that says you should do this, that or other things to get rid of soreness," he says. "There is no magic. Time heals in these cases."
That's as long as you follow the right protocol, says the University of Manitoba kinesiology professor.
If your body is hurting after your marathon run yesterday, here's what you need to do today to make sure that you recover fully and quickly:
Drink up
Immediately after the marathon, Kriellaars says that you might not feel hungry or thirsty. Even if your thirst does not return today, make sure you take in enough fluid - eight to 10 cups of water, he says. "You have to be careful because you need that fuel to fix yourself and you need that hydration to rejuvenate yourself."
Without adequate fluid, adds Janzen, your body will dehydrate and the nutrients you ingest will not get to your cells. Kriellaars suggests drinking a glass or two first thing in the morning and then a glass with each meal and snack. "You have to be regimented about it," he says.
Janzen and Kriellaars warn runners not to over-hydrate, which can lead to a life- threatening condition that throws your mineral balance off track.
Eat right
Shortly after the race yesterday you should have snacked on a fast-acting carbohydrate in order to replenish the energy stores in your muscles. What you eat today is also important, says Kriellaars, noting that your muscles are naturally torn down during activity. Food, he says, builds them back up again - especially protein, which he calls "the scaffolding inside the muscle."
The U of M professor - who runs in the mountains for seven-hour stretches at a time - says that he prefers to double up on carbs in the days after his intense runs. He eats single servings of protein with each meal.
Janzen says that most people should resume regular, healthy eating in the days after the marathon. That means consuming small meals comprised of high-fibre carbohydrates, protein and small amounts of fat. Janzen's favourite post marathon meal: A tuna wrap or grilled chicken and pasta.
Exercise light
"You're going to feel like, 'Oh, boy, I just got run over by a truck,'" says Kriellaars, noting that staying in bed or sitting still in the days after the marathon will just make you more sore. Instead, engage in some light activity. That means going for a 15- to 30-minute gentle walk, run or cycle.
Keep in mind that the point of this exercise is to "get the kinks out" rather than to elevate your heart rate.
Kriellaars says that most runners will recover from delayed-onset muscle soreness in about a week, provided they keep up with light activity, healthy eating and hydration.
Stretch
Kriellaars constantly reminds the runners he trains to stretch for 10 minutes every day after activity. Keeping up with this stretching routine in the days after the marathon will ensure that muscles are loose, pliable and as pain-free as possible. Stretching before muscles are warmed up, however, can lead to tearing and other injuries.
When stretching, Kriellaars recommends targeting primary muscles, including your hamstrings, quads, hips and calves. Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, he says.
Treat your injuries
Nipple abrasions and blisters are common post-marathon injuries that need to be cared for properly - kept clean and covered - so they do not turn into infections. If you have musculoskeletal injuries, see a sports doctor or physiotherapist. Most experts recommend that you treat such injuries (sprains, etc.) with rest, ice, compression and elevation.
Cheer up
Whether you met your marathon goals or you didn't quite make it across the finish line, Winnipeg sports psychologist Adrienne Leslie-Toogood says it's normal to feel a bit down-in-the-dumps now that the marathon hoopla is all over.
"Obviously to prepare for an event like that is a huge investment of yourself," says the director of sports psychology at the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba. "Certainly it can be a tough time for some folks."
To lift your spirits, Leslie-Toogood recommends meeting with the runners that you know over coffee to chat and share.
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