Running a half marathon can require a significant effort. It will take some time for your body to heal from running injuries, build back up to the strength it had before you started running, and repair the damage caused by running 21.0975 kilometres. Many runners are interested in finding out how long of a break they should take after finishing a half marathon.
How To Get Your Body Back In Shape?
Before talking about the recovery tips, let us tell you about the Pankh MP Half Marathon, an initiative by Bansal News to give wings to the hopes of under-19 sports achievers of Madhya Pradesh. To register for the race, you can visit the website www.mpmarathon.run.
As we move on to the recovery tips, we hope you will consider what is coming up next and make some notes.
1. Go For A Gentle Walk
You have just finished running a half marathon, and now each step you take is more complex than the one before it. However, for your heart rate to return to normal after the activity, you must keep moving for at least ten to twenty minutes after you have finished. According to Roberto Mandje, the head of training at New York Road Runners and an Olymp, runners who cross the finish line and immediately sit down run the risk of becoming rigid or pulling a muscle distance runner.
When you walk, you promote active recovery; you are still pumping blood through your tired muscles, and at the same time, you are clearing all of the excess metabolic waste (lactic acid) that you accumulated during the race. Therefore, walking is an excellent way to speed up the recovery process. He claims that doing so will help you recover more quickly.
2. Relax And Stretch Your Legs 
After the race, take some time to relax and stretch out your legs, paying special attention to your hamstrings and quadriceps, which will help improve the amount of blood that flows to those areas. To begin, give this straightforward quad stretch a shot: Hold on to something for support, step backwards with one foot, grab the outside of the other foot's ankle, and gradually pull yourself closer to your glutes as you perform the exercise.
Hold this position for five seconds, and then repeat the exercise twice on each side. Repeat the process three times in total. After that, you should treat your hamstrings gently by doing the following:
- While lying on your back, keep the opposite leg on the ground in a flat position and grab the opposite leg behind the calf.
- Bring it slowly up towards your chest until it is against your chest.
- Next, secure the other leg to the ground in a flat position.
- Next, perform steps one and two with the other leg in the exact same manner.
3. Try Something New For Your Attire
Suppose you know you will want to change clothes regardless of the weather. You must make preparations and have a friend who can bring you dry (or warmer) clothing to change into.
If you continue to move around in your race gear after the adrenaline from the race has worn off and your sweat has dried, you risk becoming ill. This is due to a combination of factors, including reduced body heat and cold sweat. Mention the fact that keeping sweat and bacteria while working out while wearing damp workout clothes can lead to acne or, even worse, yeast infections.
4. The Objective Here Should Be To Replenish Lost Fluids
After finishing the half marathon, you should immediately replace the fluids you lost as soon as possible. According to Katie Kissane, R.D., a board-certified sports dietitian, the ideal amount of fluid to consume after a race is between 16 and 20 ounces for every pound of weight lost during the competition.
This recommendation is based on the fact that fluid intake should be proportional to weight loss. Therefore, Kissane recommends consuming between 16 to 20 ounces of water or a beverage containing electrolytes as soon as possible after finishing a race. As thr most people only bother to weigh themselves after a competition, this is very useful information.
5. Take An Epsom Salt Bath
You make sure to leave enough time in your schedule the night before the race to soak in a bath with magnesium and Epsom salt. You should instead take an ice bath, as this has been shown in studies to help reduce soreness the following day. Studies have shown that this helps. You should at least stretch before bed, particularly if you cannot take a bath.
The Bottom Line
Recovery may take more than one to two weeks after the end of a race for the body to become normal. If you have finished an important goal race, consider taking some time off from competition. You should spend the off-season building your base to begin your next training cycle with a solid aerobic foundation and no injuries.
0
