There’s nothing like the feeling of crossing the finish line of a marathon. So, it’s only natural to aim to recapture that magic by jumping back into your usual running routine and setting course for the next 26.2.
But you’ll want to think twice before lacing up your shoes right away.
Bespoke Treatments in San Diego your post-race plan. That means trading in your trainers for some much-needed rest. Marathons are especially grueling, and giving your body enough time to recover fully is essential for bouncing back stronger.
And recovering after a marathon isn’t just important for helping your sore muscles heal—it’s crucial for your long-term physical and mental health. Following a We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back ldquo;Racing wears down muscles, depletes glycogen, and suppresses your.
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So, before you hit the road again, take some time to enjoy a well-deserved crash on the couch—and sprinkle in some light activity when you can’t sit still. Here are three simple, surprising ways to prioritize recovery after your marathon.
Recovery Tip #1: Write About Your Accomplishment
Want your sore muscles to start feeling better, stat? Then pay attention to your post-race attitude. Research shows that when you’re stressed, your body is slower to repair itself, and that one way to boost your mood is by journaling: the practice has been shown to increase optimism and improve communication skills.
This is why the Athlete Performance team at Under Armour recommends that their athletes journal about their races, and why the brand’s former VP, Paul Winsper, told Runner’s World But you’ll want to think twice before lacing up your shoes right away.
“Whether [you’re] satisfied or dissatisfied with [your] performance after an event, writing things down gives [you] an avenue to process things and get it all out there,” Winsper said. By figuring out what happened and identifying the good and bad parts, you can analyze your performance, then move forward. “Regardless of the outcome, athletes worked hard for that moment. That’s something to be proud of.”
Recovery Tip #2: Treat Yourself to a Massage—But Not Immediately
Tempting as it is to book a date with your massage therapist as soon as humanly possible after your marathon, it’s important to wait at least 24 hours before hopping on the table. That way, you’ll give your muscles ample time to recharge, replenish all the fluids you lost, and recover from the demands of the race.
But then it’s time to treat yourself.
Researchers of a meta-analysis found that sports massages slightly contributed to improving flexibility and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). “By targeting certain muscle groups heavily used while running, a sports massage can improve the resiliency of these soft tissues and thus promote healthy muscles and tendons,” Brad Whitley, P.T., D.P.T., physical therapist at Published: May 07, 2025 4:23 PM EDT, told Runner’s World.
Plus, other research suggests that massages can help reduce inflammation Benefits of Zone 2 Running improve immune function. Strength Training Guide massage treatment resulted in an increased number of several types of lymphocytes (white blood cells that play a key role in fighting infection) while also decreasing levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone” linked to chronic inflammation).
Recovery Tip #3: Follow the Reverse Taper
“Racing wears down muscles, depletes glycogen, and suppresses your immune system,” Raj Hathiramani, a New York City-based certified run coach, told Runner’s World. So it takes time to help your body properly heal: Experts say you should take as many as 10 to 14 days off from running after a marathon to finish the job.
Then, once you’re cleared to return, consider following the reverse taper method.
Instead of a normal taper where you build up your fitness and then back off the miles as you approach a race, the reverse taper is a slow return to a higher training volume and intensity that allows your body to gradually build back into your workouts and prioritize recovery.
Worried about losing all the progress you made during training? Don’t be. “Our fitness does not diminish as drastically as we think with an extended period of rest. Our bodies adapt to ‘defend’ our fitness level,” Hathiramani says.
When you feel rested and ready to jump back in, start with some short, unstructured runs to see how you feel. And refrain from specialty runs, such as speed work, until you’re back on an official training plan. “For most runners, one interval training session a week is most effective to balance improving endurance with staying injury-free,” says Hathiramani.
If you find any of these tips useful, Runner’s World How to Adjust Your Run Schedule After a Big Race adjusting your run schedule after a big race, Nutrition - Weight Loss How Kipchoge Hones His Nutrition for the Marathon. And when you’re ready to start prepping for your next 26.2-miler, use Runner’s World’s smart recovery plan, our holistic program that gives you all the tools you need to navigate your entire training journey.
Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
