You did it!  You conquered the big race.  It could have been a 5K for some and for others a marathon…or more.  I hope you enjoyed the moment, especially if it was your first or at a new course or even a PR.  Remember that a new distance you have never run before yields an automatic PR.

The Next Day….

But now it’s “The Next Day”….  You may not be feeling as good as you did right after the race.  Your quads are burning….stairs are hard (especially down)….getting up and down from a chair is hard.   What have I always prescribed after a hard effort?  Rest and recovery.   These are key to getting you to start running and then to your next race.   Use these days to sleep in – take a walk – go get that post-race massage – a nice ice bath – time your vacation after the race.  You deserve all these things.  Think of the plan going forward – what is your NEXT goal – your next race?  Check your shoes – are they at the 350-400 mile mark?  Are they? Then change them!  Evaluate your nutritional needs and see if they were adequate for the race you just did and if it should be adjusted for the next training cycle.

Recover Well My Friends….

All the post-race symptoms subside soon enough.  Start slow with some base miles – ease into it.  You know your bodies better than anyone else.  If you feel tight, slow down.  But, unless you are an Olympian, don’t jump into speed workouts and many races, especially after a half marathon (or up).  There is no shame in recovery time.  Once you get back into rhythm, you’ll be on your way.

Don’t Forget to Cleanse….

A nutritional cleanse such as the one from Isagenix is essential to do during this rest period, to flush out all that lactic acid and other toxins that have built up during the training cycle.

Relax and move on to the next training and race cycle for you!

#running #runningtips #noexcuses #rest #recovery #trainingplan #nutrition #injuryfree

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aftermarathon

Nickolas Joannidis
Nickolas Joannidis
I have been running for over 35 years, having done practically every possible racing event or distance from the 100 meters through the marathon. I competed in varsity high school cross country and track at Saddle Brook High School in the mid-1980's, varsity cross country and track at Division II Pace University and finished well over 200 road races since then, including 20 marathons with a lifetime best of 3:14:50. I was the president of the Hoffmann LaRoche corporate running team for 7 years, growing the team from 25 to over 90 during his tenure. I coached many of these runners to achieve their goals, whether they were beginners or advanced. In 2011 I was an assistant coach for the Fair Lawn Recreation track team, helping the 10 to 14 year old group. I am currently personally coaching dozens of runners, from beginner levels to advanced levels and getting them to be prepared to meet their goals.

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