I ran my second half marathon on Saturday. The Des Moines Dam to Dam Half Marathon was very hot and humid so we were advised to slow our pace and drink lots of water along the route.
After the race, here’s a few recovery steps I took:
- Don’t sit down right after the finish line. Keep walking to let your heart rate slow down and keep blood circulating through your legs.
- Drink a sports drink to replenish your electrolytes
- Have a simple carb like a banana
- Do keep drinking lots of water for the rest of the day (and the next day and all the days)
- If you need to sit for a longer period of time, elevate your legs to keep the blood flowing
- Go for a few short walks to keep your muscles from stiffening up
- In the days following the races, take it easy on the workouts and foam roll until you no longer feel sore
My friend, Katie, is a runner by nature and helped me learn how to train, fuel during the race and recover afterwards. Thanks, girl!
Do you have any half marathon recovery tips that I should try/be aware of? Let me know!
