Rest and Recovery
is just as important as training.
You may have never trained for a marathon before, you could be a seasoned runner. Either way you probably have some idea that a large amount of intense running is going to be involved in order to condition your body for the challenge of completing 42.2km successfully. However, what both new runners and experienced marathoners often underestimate is how important recovery is before and after your race.
If you don’t allow your body time to rest between runs it can’t recover and adapt to the training you’re putting it through, meaning you’ll get more fatigued, be prone to injury and will struggle to make it through successfully. If you’re new to the sport this means taking regular days off and ensuring you’re not burning out every run. While more experienced runners might be able to run every day, they still have to do a lot of that at a very slow and easy pace to allow their body to recover before their next tougher and bigger run.
But there’s more to recovery than just the time you spend resting or running at easy pace. Stretching, strength training and nutrition are also important to ensure your body is able to handle the strain of your marathon, as is doing everything you can to ensure you’re getting enough quality sleep.
Our top tips for smashing your marathon and recovery.
Get some good quality sleep.
We move through several different cycles as we sleep and it’s your deep sleep that’s crucial for growth hormones to be released. Sleep is key a good recovery. It’s great if you can get that recommended 8 hours but the quality of that sleep no matter how small is the crucial bit.
Avoiding caffeine or alcohol late at night as well as staying away from laptops and phones can be great ways to properly wind down for sleep. A cool, dark environment will also help as well as taking supplements such as zinc, magnesium and CBD that have been reported in studies to help with those deep sleep cycles. Research on the effects CBD has on sleep is still preliminary. However, some people who use CBD for chronic pain have reported to sleeping better including a lot of our own customers (read some of their sleep reviews here). Currently, it is unclear whether these patients sleep better because of the pain relief or because CBD directly affects their sleep though.
Invest in recovery kit.
George and Dom know only too well that it’s worth every penny using the products available to help with your training or recovery to stay at the top of your game. They’re big advocates of what athletes put into their bodies – that’s why they started fourfive but they also prioritise their recovery kit too. There are a variety of recovery focused running products on the market now from theraguns to compression tights. Compression clothing is becoming increasingly popular as a recovery aid with some research suggesting it can improve blood flow and speed up your recovery after hard training or competing.
Fuel your training and recovery right.
It’s important to make sure that you’re sufficiently fuelling your training and recovery with the right balance of protein, good fats, slow release carbs and greens during the week and after your big competition. This allows for optimal muscle recovery and will help to improve bone health as you ramp up your training if you continue even after a successful marathon. Some runners might find that they’re not very hungry or can’t stomach a big meal after the run itself. It’s worth looking at protein bars or protein shakes that could help you to get those vital energy nutrients back into your depleted body.
Get some downtime and prioritise your body.
For most athletes the key to recovering well is never down to one single thing. The best thing for recovery is looking after as many parts of your body and mind as possible, in little ways. Don’t forget that you don’t just want to stop altogether after your marathon, you’re in a routine and it’s good to keep to that a little bit too. Factor in some time for a yoga flow to stretch out and maybe meditate to help your mind relax and recover. Invest in some supplements like our Omega 3 softgels that help your joints, skin and mind to stay strong and healthy. When taken regularly Omega 3 fatty acids help maintain normal blood pressure and heart function which could help to prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes. Or why not up your recovery routine with our CBD Oil, the perfect everyday supplement to support your health and wellbeing routine. Read more about our CBD joint and muscles rubs too for your post workout recovery routine.
“Pro CBD oil is outstanding. Joints, inflammation, sleep and recovery is all enhanced.”
– Tom Hancock Trust Pilot Reviewer