The 24 hours after a HM

I was just wondering what is generally regarded as the best way to recover from a race- specifically a half marathon. (Presumably 10ks and less are easier to recover from, and marathons and ultras are likely to be the target race and the end of the cycle.)

What do people do in terms of eating, drinking, strecthing and training from crossing the finish line until Monday night?

I usually get some warm dry clothes on (after a shower if available), have a thorough stretch, and then go to the pub and drink loads of gin and/or wine. A giant Sunday roast also aids recovery, I find.

Me personally,

within half hour of finishing, nice stretch routine then get some fluid in (usually a nice milkshake) then eat a banana or something of the likes.

i have been known to just have a cuppa T then some cakes though. this made no difference in my recovery to the latter so its totally up to you really.

but i do like Literatin's routine 

+1 for sunday roast and wine on the Sunday, followed by a day off from training on the Monday.  I may swap an easier session for the scheduled Tuesday run (why do most schedules have speed work on a Tuesday?) depending on how I feel.

After training runs, I consciously try to get some protein & carbs within half hour and make sue I'm hydrated etc.  After a race, I relax and reflect on how good (or bad) the race went - sometimes you need to take a break, and post-race seems the best time.

Stu, you're not trying to get out of tomorrow's VO2 session are you? 

Damn Lit, you know me too well 

I had put my recovery run into the calendar for tomorrow, swapping the V02 to Friday - but I'm going to swap them back to give myself a kick up the arse for not pushing myself harder yesterday.  

Have you two got lost on a thread?

+1 for the roast and wine, more a dark rum than gin fan myself

I would normally run a recovery run the day after, 5 miles nice and slow.

A shower asap, then Sunday roast (preceded by G&T, accompanied by wine) 

Go to work Monday.  I don't usually run on a Monday any way, so just go to the gym as normal and do my usual thing.

cool down mile after. stretch.

get home, fuel up.

Day after 3miler.
2 days after, rest day.

no hard sessions that week.

Short answer - eat some food, drink some water, do a little bit of walking.

I did a 10 mile race yesterday, so this is what I did after finishing:

Had the Snickers bar and orange juice they gave me. Walked back to the car, had a banana and some water. Walked around slowly and took some photos for about 20 minutes. Drove home, drank some more water on the way.

Got home. Had a mug of hot chocolate and a handful of Pringles. Had a bath. Had my normal lunch (beans with random bits of meat in it and bread), drank more water.

Spent most of the rest of the day playing video games and watching TV. Iced my knee 'cos it felt a bit sore, found a small blister so I put a plaster on it. Had dinner, more water and another hot chocolate.

Today, went to work. Went for a walk at lunch time (about 20 minutes), ate and drank as normal. I may go to the pub this evening. Might ice my knee again, although it seemed OK this morning so I probably won't bother.

Usually I run Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I'm going to skip the Tuesday run, and probably do the Thursday one. Will parkrun on Saturday but expect I'll take it fairly easy. I wait until everything stops aching before I run again, which the first time I did a HM was about a week, but 2 or 3 days is usually enough these days.

Hmmm well I did a half yesterday...milkshake straight after & jelly beans are a must for journey home (tradition) along with water, followed by roast, might have to walk the dog if no one has done it for me...

next day, go to work as normal and off to the gym in the evening for some abs work and a spin class - great for recovery and good and warm for a decent stretch session without the impact of running. Back to normal tomorrow as long as feeling ok and back into marathon training mode; gearing up for a 22 miler next weekend.

Loving the way most people's recovery strategy involves a Sunday roast. Clearly there are good reasons for having races on Sundays.

I never have Sunday roast. yesterdays meals consisted of a cup porrige for dinner (3pm), followed by 12 miles, then another cup of porrige, the a cup of noodles. 

Bacon Butty if i can find one (get the salt back) then run around after my three year old son,which is my warm down / and stretching excersies,a big mug of black coffee and I am a happy bunny

Long passenger ride home to Devon, long shower, Deep Heat. Next day, son to school, long walk, whatever the weather, stretch if I need it, and more deep heat if I ache some (which I usually do!!!!)

Run home

Lå®Ð䮧€ wrote (see)

I never have Sunday roast. yesterdays meals consisted of a cup porrige for dinner (3pm), followed by 12 miles, then another cup of porrige, the a cup of noodles. 

I like the roast idea much better! 

Basically don't do what I did after Silverstone, burst into tears, get cold without stretching down, and then sit in a car for 2 hours going home.

I couldn't walk for 3 days