The past two weeks were all about recovery from my marathon. Well, they should have been. However, it wasn’t all just about race recovery. I took the first week off from running (and all exercise) and also fought off a stomach bug. The second week I started easing back into some light workouts. Let’s take a look at how these marathon race recovery weeks played out.
Marathon Race Recovery Week 1
I was planning to take at least 1 week off from running after my race, which I did. I figured I might do some walking, yoga, or stretching if I had time. What I didn’t plan for was coming down with a stomach bug. While it was brief and not all that bad, it definitely made marathon recovery a little trickier!
Monday-Thursday: Rest
I did nothing but rest on Monday-Thursday. On Monday I was still pretty sore, but felt fine otherwise all day at work. As soon as I got home and started to make dinner my stomach felt off. I questioned if maybe it was just a weird side effect of the race and didn’t think much of it. I was up most of the night and any sleeping I did that night was on the couch.
On Tuesday I felt absolutely awful, but I didn’t know if my body was so achy from the race, from sleeping on the couch or from being sick. I was scheduled to be off from work anyways so I spent the day recovering. Since no one else in the house was sick I figured it must have been something I ate or related to marathon recovery.
Well, then guess who got sick on Wednesday night? Grayson didn’t even get one bite of dinner down and I knew he must have caught whatever I had. (How did I possibly pick up a stomach bug?? I wear a mask everywhere, wasn’t even around anyone at work on Friday or Monday, so did it happen at the race? It’s so strange). He slept through the night but was not himself when he woke up, so we had to keep him home. And of course, he needed a covid test to return to school, so he was home Friday too. But he only got sick that one time and was totally back to himself by Friday morning.
Friday: Core and Walk
Since I was finally feeling recovered from both the race and being sick on Friday, I did a few minutes of core work and mobility early, and then took Grayson for a walk later on. It felt really good to be outside and to be moving again!
Saturday: 3.2 Stroller Miles
My first run back! The 3 of us went out for a stroller run and my legs were pretty tight during the first mile but loosened up nicely. Grayson spent the whole run asking to get out. I guess we are getting to the point where its going to be harder to keep him in there!
Sunday: 3.1 Stroller Miles
Another family stroller run. Once again Grayson gave us some trouble but we made it. Now that we’re not doing stroller runs as often he isn’t really used to being in there anymore.
Marathon Race Recovery Week 2
Monday: Strength Training
It felt really good to get back to lifting again! My workouts were modified starting about 3 weeks before my race so I was lifting lighter and spending less time lifting. I got back to some of my usual exercises this week and my glutes were on fire (I love that feeling!)
Tuesday: 3.8 Miles
Birthday miles! 3.8 miles for 38 years. This was the day after the Boston Marathon and I started to think about when my BQ time would drop to 3:40. (It would be whenever I run a qualifying race for the 2024 race). However, with the way things are going I’d still need a 5+ minute cushion and who knows if they will lower the qualifying times again!
Wednesday: Rest Day
I was feeling a little DOMS from Monday and Rob was planning to leave really early for work, so I made this a rest day. I did do a couple minutes of core and yoga just to get moving.
Thursday: 3.1 Miles
Another easy morning run! I did a 5k to count towards the Brooks’ Run Happy Fest. It goes from 10/13-10/17!
Friday: Strength Training and 20 Minutes Spin Bike
Yes, you read that right- I used my spin bike! I can’t remember the last time I was on there. It felt good to sweat and work my muscles in a different way.
Oh and guess who got sick again and needed another covid test? I think he’s had 11 now. He just had a cough but we had to keep him home. Luckily Rob was off and I was working from home for a virtual conference.
Saturday: 4 Stroller Miles
I didn’t feel like getting up early to run, so once we were all up I asked who wanted to run with me and everyone agreed! Grayson did better this time (Cheerios got us through the first 2 miles) and we added some hills back in. It is starting to look a little bit like fall!
Sunday: Planning for a few miles
I am not sure if we will do another family run or if I will run alone. We have plans to go apple and pumpkin picking in the late morning, so I’m not sure how much time we will have. I’m excited that it’s supposed to be a little cooler now!
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I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down!
Ugh! Sorry you and G were so sick. I suppose it’s natural for the immune system to be compromised after 26.2, but still. Not fun at all. I think I usually don’t do anything the week after a marathon but there’ve been times I did crazy things…like a half marathon 6 days later. I’m grateful that ended well.
After my first marathon, which was the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I ran a 10k on Thanksgiving morning. I definitely ran it harder than I should have. Since then I’ve learned the importance of recovery! This time around I really enjoyed (and needed) that week off.
So sorry to hear that both you and Grayson cause a stomach bug 🙁 I have talked to so many people that have gotten stomach bugs or colds these past two weeks. There’s definitely something going around unfortunately.
Happy belated birthday! I hope you had a great day celebrating!
Thank you! Yep, it seems like everyone is getting sick. I feel like its going to be such a long, tough winter!
I am happy to see that you took a real recovery after your race. That seems to be something that a lot of runners skimp on. I think it makes a huge difference. Sorry, that part of it was a stomach thing. Maybe it was something you both ate? Glad everyone is feeling better today! Enjoy our amazing weather this week
We were trying to figure out if there was anything Grayson and I ate that Rob didn’t eat. The only thing we could think of was smoothies. Maybe the spinach was bad? Who knows. Based on how I felt it seemed more like a sickness than food poisoning but you never know!
I’m so sorry you both had stomach bugs! They’re the worst! Maybe Grayson brought it home? Well, who really knows where they come from anyway.
Poor Grayson on all the tests.
Obviously never ran a marathon. I only ever once got sick after a half. I believe it was mild food poisoning, but it was definitely not fun and I couldn’t eat barely anything for a quite a few days — not so much fun after running a half!
It’s such a downer to get sick after a big race! But in a way its like extra forced recovery. Although I know my body needed good food, and all I could get down for a few days was plain soup and crackers.
Sorry about the stomach bug – never fun 🙁
Hope the apple and pumpkin picking was fun! Happy birthday!
Thank you! It was alot of fun today!
I’m so sorry to hear that you and Grayson were sick. It’s never fun to have a stomach bug. There’s a lot of it going around right now and it’s just so contagious. At least you were better for your birthday! I hope it was a happy day!
It’s just crazy how many people are getting sick lately. Makes me really worried for what this winter will bring! I’m glad I got the stomach bug out of the way right after my race so I could run and eat cake on my birthday!
I think it’s common to get sick after a marathon — but I think catching a cold is more common. It is amazing how we can still pick up a bug these days, but it does happen. I can’t get over all the covid testing Grayson has to endure. At least you seem to be able to get them done quickly.
I agree it is common to get sick after a marathon since your immune system is a bit weaker. But I guess I figure I would have to catch it somewhere and I really don’t know where I got it from! (Unless Grayson brought it home and somehow I came down with symptoms first). We have learned all the tricks to getting covid tests done fast. My husband does part of his work at an urgent care so when we just need a test (and don’t really need him to be seen by the pediatrician) we just take him there.
oh gosh, sorry about the stomach bug! But your husband didn’t catch it? So strange.
Yay for easing back into running (and lifting- love the glute soreness!)
I turned 40 this week and was excited about the extra 5 minutes! I have a 3:38 from Indy 2019, but I don’t think 2 minutes will be enough.
Towards the end of the week my husband said he felt a little “off” but nothing like what we had. It was so strange! Its so frustrating that we will need a qualifying time so much lower than a BQ. Even if I ran a sub 3:35 this fall I knew I wouldn’t run fast enough to actually get into Boston.
Well, if you had to get a stomach bug, the week AFTER your marathon was the perfect time to do it! You probably weren’t too happy about it though.
Glad you’re feeling better- now your recovery seems right on track. Nice to be done with marathon training so you can enjoy some lazier weekend mornings, right? Apple and pumpkin picking sound amazing!
The part I hate most about being sick like that is falling so behind on things I need to get done!
I am definitely enjoying some lazier mornings and more laid back runs for right now!
Ugh to the stomach bugs! Thankfully, it’s been decades, literally, since I’ve had one. My body seems to bounce back pretty easily from marathons, but I do take the week following easy. I usually try to do a very short recovery run the morning after because my legs feel better with some movement. But, as we know, everyone’s body is different, so it’s best to go with what works for you 😉
I think the last time I had one was in 2014, so its been awhile. Its way worse as a parent and still needing to get up the next morning and take care of a little one!
Hope you are feeling better. Happy birthday too. I’m so old I have to run in kilometers. Lol.
I’m bad about recovery. I ran a 15k race less than a week about my marathon.
I don’t run hard after my half’s but I continue my normal schedule. But again it depends how legs feel.
After my first marathon I ran a 10k a few days later. But that was 10 years ago- now I know I need time off after a hard race!
Happy belated birthday!
Sorry you and Grayson got sick but glad he rebounded quickly. All hail the magic of Cheerios
Thank you! Yes, cheerios are magic:)