It was a busy weekend for marathoners in the UAE, with thousands of people competing in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon.
And while most of you, by now, would have had a massage, applied ice or taken an ice bath, stretched and rested – here’s our top three (outside the box) tips that will ensure you are back running again soon and feeling like your old self!
Did you run either the 42.195km or 10km distance on Friday?
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TIP 1 – NUTRITION
While you would have lost thousands of calories during the run and fluids given the intense UAE heat, continue to eat lots of fruits, carbohydrates and protein to help repair muscle damage, replace glycogen stores and keep yourself hydrated, using vitamin C and antioxidants where possible to boost your immune system.
Don’t fall into the trap of letting your diet slip back to old habits after the marathon.
TIP 2 – REVIEW AND ACTIVE REST
Running a marathon is a great achievement and one you should look back on with a huge amount of pride. Thinking about your accomplishment and your race will hopefully fill you with positive thoughts.
This can really help your mental recovery from the run, and at the same time, you can review your training programme, race experience and come up with confidence-boosting ways in which you can improve in the future.
And, of course, you can do this whether you’re strolling on the beach or walking to work – it’s important to keep the body active within reason after a marathon. It can really help minimize the risk of delayed muscle damage, also known as (DOMS).
BEFORE YOU START RUNNING ON THE ROAD/TRACK AGAIN…TRY THIS
Before you consider running outside again, try swimming or a light cross-trainer workout to improve the blood flow around the body. This, in combination with stretching, standard rest and recovery work, can improve your body’s healing process and gradually work you back into exercise again.
