Yesterday was very special day…it was my 3rd Nike Women’s Marathon. Year after year, I am amazed by this event. Nike does an UNBELIEVABLE job with this extravaganza! Each year they have continued to improve certain aspects of the expo and race day activities. If you are to do any marathon, I highly suggest this be the one. Although a VERY hard course, hilly, foggy and cold… 30-40 thousand people gathering the streets of union square is an amazing sight to see, it gives me chills every time and I am already looking forward to next years experience.
// Photos compliments of NWM Facebook page. //
(Pre marathon selfie @5:3am wowza!)
(And a pretty cool guy waiting for me at the finish ;))
(The blue box gave me a little kick to get my butt to the finish!)
After many trials and tribulations, ie- super longggg tiring runs on the weekends and waking up at the crack of dawn to get in a quickie before work…..I am so over the moon about setting my new PR!!! I ran an 8’37″/mi pace, 1:55! Never regret a workout. Never regret a run. Because when it comes down to it, it was all worth it. This course was insanely hard, but you can truly conquer anything you put your mind to.
You did it!! Now what? Here are some post marathon tips that have worked for me.
- Walk it out. Right after the marathon keep walking to reduce stiffness. You want to keep your blood circulating in order to repair damaged muscle tissue. Walk another mile (I know it sounds horrible but worth it) or you can just walk to your car.
- Stretch. It’s SO important to stretch post marathon!! Your muscles will be sore and cramping will likely occur. Whether you decide to use a foam roller or not, make sure to make time for lots of stretching to reduce injury and bring length back to fatigued muscles.
- Drink lots of fluids. H2O, protein shakes and electrolytes are your best friend. You just lost tons of water and you need to replenish your body. Nourish, nourish, nourish and take care of your body by adding the nutrients back that were lost during your run.
- Snack time! After a run, you are depleted of calories and need all the nourishment you can get. This is a good time for carbs! Yippee!
- Ice any painful areas. Often knees and feet will need a little attention. Ice 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off that same day after your race to avoid injury. Ice the following day as well if needed.
- Continue to recover in the days after your race. Take a few days of rest directly after your marathon. Some people say to take even more than a couple of days off, but I like to run a short 2 miles 2-3 days after the race to relieve soreness.
- Most importantly, listen to your body and give it what it needs. There are many different opinions of what your body needs post marathon, but this is what I have found has worked for me and I hope it helps for you!
Now, after the pain subsides, you finally feel a sense of accomplishment. Time to look into finding your next race? You decide. 😉
