The day after your first marathon

[lifetaketwo]

Talk to me about it... If I heal and can train I'm signed up for Disney. Our plan was to spend 2 days afterwards in the parks. My mom was going to even fly down to cheer and do the parks, but she's now questioning if ill be up to it.

What do you girls think? How was your first marathon recovery? Did you train well or wing-it?

[cinco]

I could barely move, but I didn't train properly. My second was almost 10 years and 2 kids later, so I think my recovery was similar to a first marathon. I was sore, but went to a wedding that evening (and did some horrible dancing, lol) and was walking the next day. I think Disney post race would be fun. Stairs are the biggest bitch, walking will help recovery.

[clseale]

If you train properly, I think you'll be OK. You'll be sore, absolutely, but walking around will help that. Of course this is not just, "Oh, I worked out hard" sore. It's a different beast. Getting on and off of rides is going to be painful. Every time you get up, or sit down, you'll hurt. But again, the best thing you can do is stretch and walk around, so I say go for it!

[ebeth]

I mostly followed the hal higdon novice 2 plan. I don't think I would have been down for walking all over disney after my 1st marathon. I called out sick that day because I was still hobbling around (also I was sick. sick of working).

BUT, I did, the dumbest thing you can possibly do after a marathon and sat down on a grassy knoll for some rest after finishing. like within 5 minutes of finishing. do not do this. for any reason.

[gt7301b]

I was sore, but it wasn't that bad. We actually flew down to the beach the next day and I managed just fine. I even ran a turkey trot four days later.

[thom]

I was absolutely sore, but I was back and busy walking, lifting, etc at work the next day. I think it's helpful to keep moving and walking. Assuming you have no major injuries I think walking the parks would be a good thing. Just keep a good attitude as you will hobble a bit. GL!

[clseale]

Jun 3, 2013 13:36:40 GMT -5 ebeth said:

BUT, I did, the dumbest thing you can possibly do after a marathon and sat down on a grassy knoll for some rest after finishing. like within 5 minutes of finishing. do not do this. for any reason.

I did this back at the hotel. I woke up an hour later, and I had to roll off of the bed onto the floor and crawl to the bathroom.

Ebeth is wise. Stretch, walk around, get out that night. Do not, I repeat, for the love of god, DO NOT sit down for an extended period of time, right after the race. 

ETA: Don't be scared. I didn't train properly. lol

[al320]

Due to the course i ran, my quads were bad. Baaaaad. I bad to walk down staits sideways. Standing up from seated position hurt like hell.

Also, i was completely exhausted.

I dont think i personally wouldve been up for disney.

[runblondie26]

I slept for almost 18 hours straight and felt like I'd been run over by a bus for about a week after my first. I didn't fuel properly during the race (as in, not at all), so I know that was a big part of it.

I went out bar hopping for a friend's bday after my 8th marathon this past November. Recovery has gotten progressively easier with each one

Good luck with your 1st marathon. If you go in prepared and fuel properly, I think you'll feel ok.

[IndiaInk]

I just ran my first a month ago. I was fit to begin with and trained VERY well, using an 18 week plan. I wasn't injured during training or during the race. I did run a fast pace and pushed myself hard to finish the last few miles, so it's not like I was taking it easy.

That said, I took the next day off work and I'm so glad I did because I was worn out. My job is really physical (farm work) but even just walking around would not have been fun. My quads hurt like crazy when I climbed steps or sat down even though the course was flat and I had trained at 20+ miles in the hills. All I wanted to do was sit and rest for the days after the marathon. Walking around a bit helped loosen me up, but I would not have wanted to walk all over Disneyland! I was tired to a certain extent for a week and could feel the effects of the marathon on my energy levels up to 3 weeks later when I tried to work out hard. I know a few people who took a day off work after the race, so I'm not the only one. It didn't make sense to me until I ran it and then I understood just how tough those marathons are!

[taratru]

In February I hopped on a plane literally three hours after finishing and flew to DC. The next day I was at Monticello and I walked to the top to get my legs moving. It hurt, don't get me wrong, but I was not sore one bit the rest of the week.

I think you're fine to do Disney for a couple of days after, as long as you know you are going to take it slow.

[naldridge]

The Disney race is REALLY flat, so if your training is hilly at all, you'll probably be better after the actual race than on your long run days. I tackled the parks the afternoon after a 10k (that I did not train one.single.step. for) and walking really helped - plus, all the stuff going on will keep you distracted

[kams]

I got in the car to drive 6 hours the next morning, which did not help the recovery process. Walking around would have been much better!

And I sat down for a minute after I finished, and when taratru found me she gave me a good scolding! But it all hurt so baaaaad. She was, of course, totally right.

[grk2012]

I did a full Hal Higdon training plan (18 wks) flawlessly, ran my first 26.2 on a Sunday, and was hobbling like an old lady with bad hips and knees the next few days. My mom ended up coming home with us (2 hr away) to help me take care of DS since I could hardly go up/down stairs. I was able to hobble my way through a pathetically short run on Friday after doing some light walking during the week.

[lifetaketwo]

Okay so some of you made me feel better and some of you terrified me!! I was thinking I'd be in some serious pain, but mobile and my mom is all will you need a wheelchair??

[starryfish]

Jun 3, 2013 15:42:20 GMT -5 kams said:

I got in the car to drive 6 hours the next morning, which did not help the recovery process. Walking around would have been much better!

And I sat down for a minute after I finished, and when taratru found me she gave me a good scolding! But it all hurt so baaaaad. She was, of course, totally right.

I had NO idea you were not supposed to sit down afterwards, i totally did....whoops!

[mrshandy]

I was pretty sore and didn't really feel like walking too much. I ran the MCM right before Hurricane Sandy blew through DC, so work was closed. I was stuck at home with DS all day, which was a challenge, but better than trekking it to work.

I wouldn't have felt like walking around Disney. But everyone is different.

[julygal]

As a FL resident, I can vouch for the fact that plenty of people are at the parks wearing their medals after the race, so it can be done

Disney was my friend's first marathon, and she was in the parks the next day. She was well trained and didn't have any issues that I'm aware of.

Disney was DH and my first half. We did the half on Sat. Our plan had been to enjoy the resort on Sat and Sun and go to parks Mon-Wed. Swimming on Sat after the race felt surprisingly awesome! Due to a funeral, I had to leave on Sun, but DH stayed on and did the parks with the kids Mon-Wed. He had run with an injury and pulled a muscle during the race, so he was definitely sore but didn't complain. He actually felt the walking stretched it out for him. I was able to join them again on Tues and Wed and felt fine waking around, but admittedly I had 2 days of recovery before tackling the parks. Also, I can imagine it would have been harder to do after a full, but assuming you've trained properly for the race, then I think you will be OK.

[shorty20]

I could barely move the next day, but I also sat down, and didn't stretch properly afterwards. I also got in the car and had a 3 hour drive home within an hour of finishing, so that didn't help either. After my second I walked around after and stretched, and I was much, much better. I still took off the next day, but I wasn't nearly as sore as the first.

[hannahb]

As long as you walk around that day I think you'll be ok. After my first I went home and slept and watched tv all day and was so so bad the next morning. Others when I've walked around and stayed relatively active have been better. Don't get me wrong, you'll hurt but at least you'll be able to get out of bed on your own the next day!