Marathon recovery: how to rest, refuel and rebuild
Updated: 8 hours ago
Roughly one day of recovery for every mile raced. Nutritional therapist and runner Helen Morton on why the month after your marathon matters as much as the training.
You’ve crossed the finish line and collected your well-earned medal. Next comes your marathon recovery. It’s the part that most first-time marathon runners are least prepared for, but the thing that makes the biggest difference to how you feel in the days and weeks that follow. This guide covers everything you need to know about recovering well from your first marathon.
In this article, we’ll explore:
What should your marathon recovery plan look like?
A good marathon recovery plan looks very similar to your training plan—structured, progressive, and respectful of what your body has just been through. Although the instinct after a marathon can be to either do too much too soon, or collapse on the sofa and not move for a few days, neither is particularly helpful.
Recovery from a marathon happens in stages: immediate recovery in the hours after finishing, short-term recovery over the first week, and full recovery over the weeks that follow. Each phase has its own priorities.
The first few hours: refuel, rehydrate, keep moving gently.
The first week: sleep, easy movement, no running.
The weeks after: gradual return to training, roughly a day per mile raced.
How long does it take to recover from a marathon?
Longer than you probably want it to. The rough rule of thumb is one day of recovery for every mile raced, which puts a full marathon recovery at around 26 days, almost an entire month. For many first-time runners, it can take longer than that to feel on top form again.
Recovery isn’t just about muscle soreness. Running 26.2 miles takes a significant toll on your immune system, your gut, and your joints, as well as your muscles. In the days immediately after a marathon, your immune system is suppressed, which can make you more susceptible to picking up colds and infections. This is your body redirecting resources towards repair, and it’s entirely normal. However, it’s also a good reason to be sensible about returning to training before you’ve genuinely recovered from your marathon.
The temptation to get back out running quickly is understandable, particularly if you’ve caught the marathon bug. But being a little patient with recovery pays dividends.
What should you eat immediately after finishing a marathon?
Your priority in the hour after finishing is replenishment of glycogen (carbohydrate) stores, fluid, and the building blocks needed to begin muscle repair (protein). It is not complicated and you don’t need to be completely precise about this. Just eat a good meal of real food relatively soon after finishing.
In practical terms, aim for a combination of carbohydrates and protein as soon as you feel able. Something like a banana and a protein bar, often provided at the finish line, will kick start your recovery. Don’t wait until you feel hungry because appetite is often suppressed immediately after a marathon, even when your body urgently needs refuelling.
How do you rehydrate properly after a marathon?
Drink to thirst, aiming for around two litres of water per day as a general baseline, though your individual needs will vary depending on how much you sweated during the race, your body size, and how depleted you feel.
Avoid the temptation to drink excessive amounts of water in one go, particularly immediately after the race. Overhydration (hyponatraemia) can dilute sodium levels in the blood, which carries its own risks. Instead, you want to sip steadily, include some electrolytes, which could be through food or an electrolyte supplement, and pay attention to your urine colour as a guide. You’re aiming for pale straw throughout the day.
Celebrating your marathon achievement with alcohol is entirely understandable, however it is best to drink water first, eat before you drink any alcohol, and be aware that even small quantities of alcohol can slow your recovery and disrupt your sleep.
Why are your legs so sore after a marathon?
Because running that far, particularly on roads, is very hard on your body. There are very few marathon runners who get away without some degree of soreness and stiffness afterwards.
The primary cause is microscopic damage to the muscle fibres in your legs, caused by the repeated impact and sustained effort of hours of running. This is particularly pronounced with downhill sections, which place significant eccentric load on the quadriceps (the muscles at the front of your legs). All of your muscles, tendons, and connective tissue will have been working at their limit for several hours, and the soreness you feel afterwards is the inflammatory response that kicks in as your body begins to repair.
What is DOMS?
DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and it’s the well-known muscle stiffness, tenderness and pain that typically peaks 24 to 72 hours after the event, hence ‘delayed’. Some marathon runners feel surprisingly mobile for the rest of the day after running a marathon, only to wake up the next morning barely able to get down the stairs.
Top tip: walk down stairs backwards to take the load off the front of your thighs!
The exact mechanism behind DOMS is still being researched. Although DOMS is painful, it is temporary and will resolve on its own.
How to prevent and reduce DOMS
Your marathon training will have given your legs some degree of adaptation to long distance running, which helps to minimise DOMS, but even highly experienced marathon runners experience muscle soreness, particularly after a road race. Some things that genuinely help:
Gentle movement like walking, easy swimming, and gentle yoga flow is more effective than complete rest for reducing DOMS.
Adequate protein intake supports muscle repair.
Foods and drinks rich in polyphenols, such as blueberries, pomegranate, tart cherry juice, and green and black tea, have been shown to be effective in reducing DOMS.
Good sleep is where much of the actual repair happens. A power nap during the day can be helpful if your sleep at night feels disrupted.
Cold water immersion or contrast bathing can reduce inflammation for some people, though the evidence for this is mixed.
Be aware that although anti-inflammatory painkillers can help with pain management, they are likely to interfere with the body's natural repair process if used excessively. Our advice is always to use them sparingly.
What should you eat in the weeks after a marathon?
In the weeks after your marathon, try to focus on a varied, nutrient-dense diet built around whole foods. Micronutrients are important for recovery. Vitamins C and E support immune function, magnesium supports normal muscle function and helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue, zinc supports immune function and protein synthesis, and iron is worth paying attention to particularly for female runners who may have lost significant amounts through sweat and the impact-related breakdown of red blood cells that can occur in distance running. A diet rich in colourful vegetables, quality protein, whole grains, and healthy fats will cover these bases.
How much protein do you need after running a marathon?
Your protein needs are increased in the week after running a marathon.
In the week following a marathon, aim for 1.5 to 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 70kg runner, that means 105g to 140g of protein daily. Ideally, this should be spread across meals and snacks rather than consumed in one single sitting, as your body can only effectively use around 30 to 40g at a time for muscle protein synthesis.
In practical terms, this might look like:
Breakfast: three eggs with smoked salmon on sourdough toast, around 35g protein
Lunch: a large chicken and quinoa salad with feta, around 40g protein
Dinner: a generous portion of salmon or lean beef with roasted vegetables and rice, around 40g protein
Snacks: Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, a handful of nuts, or a protein shake, 20 to 30g protein in total across the day
If you follow a plant-based diet, combining protein sources, such as lentils with rice, or beans with whole grains, ensures you’re getting a full amino acid profile to support muscle repair after your marathon.
Is a post-marathon massage worth it?
In the 48 hours immediately after running a marathon, your muscles are inflamed and already undergoing repair. A deep tissue massage at this stage is likely to be extremely uncomfortable and may actually increase soreness rather than relieve it. If you’re offered a race massage at the finish line, a very gentle, light touch treatment can feel good, but save anything more intensive for later in the week.
From around day three or four onwards, a sports massage can genuinely help by reducing muscle tension and easing soreness. If a professional sports massage isn’t within budget, then foam rolling and self-massage with a massage ball at home can offer some of the benefits if done gently and consistently.
What exercise should you do in the week after a marathon?
Gentle movement in the week after a marathon can help with managing DOMS and supporting the physiological recovery process. Complete rest is rarely the best option because easy, gentle movement helps to increase circulation, reduce stiffness, and support lymphatic drainage.
Swimming is one of the best post-marathon recovery activities, as it provides gentle, full-body movement with no impact on the joints. Easy walking is similarly helpful, while yoga or gentle stretching can support flexibility and relaxation without adding stress to already taxed muscles. Avoid any exercise that is high intensity, heavy strength training, or running at effort, all of which will more than likely extend your recovery time.
When can you start running again after a marathon?
After running your first marathon, the general guideline is to leave running for at least one to two weeks. Many coaches would suggest even longer for full physiological recovery. This doesn’t mean you need to be sedentary, but it means that running-specific impact and load should be removed while your body repairs.
However, every runner is different. Some people feel well enough to do an easy jog within a week and suffer no ill effects. If that’s you, keep your first run to a short, slow run at a conversational pace, then pay attention to how your body responds in the 24 to 48 hours afterwards. Any increase in soreness, fatigue, or injury niggles is a sign for you to hold off on running a little longer.
The most common mistake in post-marathon recovery is returning to training before the body is ready, often driven by anxiety about losing fitness. Be reassured that the running fitness you’ve built over months of training doesn’t simply disappear in two weeks of rest. It will still be there when you come back, and you’ll come back to running stronger for having recovered properly.
Is it normal to feel low after a marathon?
Yes, this can happen to any marathon runner, and it’s not talked about nearly enough. The days and weeks after a marathon can bring an unexpected emotional dip that catches first-time runners completely off guard. You’ve spent months working towards a single goal, structuring your weekends around long runs, and then, suddenly, it’s done. Your body and mind are exhausted after months of sustained training stress. Plus, your sense of purpose and running routine have temporarily disappeared. For some runners, the low passes within a few days while for others it can linger a little longer.
When should you see a doctor after a marathon?
Most of the common post-marathon symptoms like muscle soreness, fatigue, and having trouble sleeping are normal and will resolve themselves with plenty of rest and good nutrition. However, there are a few signs that warrant medical attention:
Chest pain or heart palpitations that persist beyond race day.
Urine that is very dark, particularly brown or cola-coloured, for an extended period after the race. This can be a sign that muscle tissue is breaking down and should be checked.
A fever or signs of infection in the week following the marathon.
If you are in any doubt, book an appointment with your GP. It’s always better to get checked if something doesn’t feel right.
Key takeaways
Recovery takes longer than you expect, so give yourself permission to rest
Refuel soon after finishing with a combination of carbohydrates and protein, and don’t wait until you feel hungry
Drink water to thirst and go easy on the celebration alcohol
Gentle movement, such as swimming and walking, is generally better than complete rest for managing DOMS
Eat well and consistently by prioritising carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrient-rich whole foods
Aim for 1.5 to 2g of protein per kg of body weight daily in the week after the race
Save any intensive massage for day three or four at the earliest
Hold off running for at least one to two weeks, and remember to ease back in gently when you do
The post-marathon low is normal and temporary, so be kind to yourself through this period
If something doesn’t feel right physically or emotionally, then speak to a professional
Running your first marathon is a huge achievement worth celebrating, and recovering well is the final piece of taking marathon running seriously. Rest, refuel, and rebuild, ready for your next race.
Preparing for your first marathon? Our guides to how to prepare for your first marathon and marathon race day preparation cover the training months and the hours before the start line.
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