Now that races are coming back, I’m hearing many runners say that they “forgot” how to race. Things like pacing and recovery may be a little challenging at first as we get back into racing after so much time away. I’ve talked a bit before about how I typically recover after a long run, but when you race (even if it’s for a “training run”) it can be difficult to implement the same recovery strategies in the hours following the race. Here are some race day tips to optimize recovery.
Race Day Recovery Tips
- Keep moving after you cross the finish line
- Refuel and hydrate after your race
- Move around or do some dynamic stretching
- Don’t sit down for too long after the race
- Celebrate your race, but not too hard
- Eat a full meal
- Foam roll or massage following the race
- Get some rest after race day
- Listen to your body in the days following the race
Keep moving after you cross the finish line
It can be tempting to just stop right after you are done with your race. I have done this in the past and I always regret it! Now I try to walk around a bit for about 5-10 minutes after the race is over. Enjoy the race day atmosphere and cheer on other runners!
Refuel and hydrate after your race
You may not feel hungry or thirsty, but you will need to replenish by both eating and drinking to support your race day recovery. Some races give out free food and drinks, but right now many are limiting what is offered, so consider bringing your own supplies and leaving them in the car.
Move around or do some dynamic stretching
Dynamic stretching can help prevent your muscles from tightening up following your race. This may be more difficult to do in a race environment, but try to find some space maybe in a corner to stretch a little. If you drove to the race, try to make it a point to stretch before and after getting out of your car.
Don’t sit down for too long after the race
Of course it can be tempting to just sit after the race is over! If you do, try to get up regularly and move around. If you are going to be hanging out after the race make sure you keep moving to prevent your muscles from tightening up.
Celebrate your race, but not too hard
If you choose to celebrate your race with alcohol, make sure it doesn’t take the place of water. Try to drink some water first, and continue taking sips even while drinking alcohol.
You may also like: Running and Alcohol: How Does it Affect Performance?
Eat a full meal
Even if you had some snacks following your race, you will also need to eat a full meal within a couple hours of finishing. I would recommend getting what you are craving (your body seems to know what it needs). Just keep in mind that you need carbs and protein to help with your race day recovery.
Foam roll or massage following the race
Either later in the day or the following day try to spend some time with your foam roller. If your race was a goal race, consider treating yourself to a real massage!
You may also like: 6 Tips for Dealing with Sore Muscles after Running
Get some rest after race day
You probably ran harder than usual, so it’s important to rest as a part of your race day recovery. Try to get enough sleep the days following the race. Take naps if you need them! This will give your body extra time to repair and help you be prepared to jump back into your training.
Listen to your body in the days following the race
It’s probably a good idea to take at least one full rest day after a race, depending on how you feel. Try to keep your runs easy until your body feels fully recovered. It’s also important to remember that even if you’re not sore anymore, your muscles may still be recovering.
Make sure to also follow these 7 Marathon Recovery Tips to Recover Faster!
Here are some more recovery tips beyond just the day of the race:
How to Recover after a Half-Marathon
6 Valuable Tips for Complete Marathon Recovery
Step by Step Guide to Marathon Recovery
Try this post half-marathon recovery plan to help you recover from your race and make sure you check out how to do a reverse taper after your half-marathon!
Most importantly, enjoy the accomplishment of your race and take the time to celebrate!
How is your race day recovery different from the recovery from a long run?
What tips do you have for recovering from a race?
Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs , and Laura Norris Running to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.
I make sure there’s more rest in my schedule after a race. I’ve made the mistake of not taking shorter races like a 10k seriously recovery wise and winding up with some sort of nagging pain later in the week, so I think a general rule is take recovery seriously no matter what the distance. All great tips!
I should have been more careful about jumping back into training last week! But I was feeling good so didn’t even question it at the time! Oh well…
Totally agree. I made sure even yesterday to not sit for too long because if I sat for more than 30 minutes, my legs were stiff/sore. Must keep moving, right after the race and for a few days following! lol. I always take water and eat something, this time after the half I had some of a banana and then had my usual oatmeal/yogurt/peanut butter combo which always follows a long run/race. I am hoping to run easy today and get back to normal now!
I think after any long run or hard workout I really tighten up if I sit for too long. Even at work I need to constantly be getting up and walking around!
I have a handful of friends that always want to go out to bars immediately after races. It always sounds TERRIBLE to me. Like makes me want to puke.
My best tip is to invest and schedule a sports massage ahead of time for afterwards. It took me from hobbling to completely functioning and barely sore at all after my first marathon. Well worth it!
That is a great tip! I had a massage after a half marathon one time and I remember that it was amazing!
Preach it! and legs up the wall pose for a little bit + post race nap. then get up and move around!
I always forget about legs up the wall! Such a great tool for recovery!
I am much more aware of recovery after a long run. After a long race I know I’m done running and training for a while so recovery is not as important to me. I know this is terrible and I really need to change it!
Yes I’ve been like that in the past too! I think I have finally figured out that its important to recover if I don’t want to be sore for a week after the race!
Great tips! I will have to remember them this weekend for MCM.
I hope that some of this was helpful after your race!
Good tips! I think walking really helps post race/post long run. I think I need to take more days off after a long race than I do. I usually sleep TERRIBLY after a long run. I wake up and feel the need to move around, so I get up and walk around a bit…
I don’t sleep well after a long run either! Usually the next day is a rest day so I try to sleep in but I never can!
I love these tips and most of them are exactly what I practice too!!!:)
Thanks! They are pretty basic but easy to forget when you get caught up in the excitement of a race:)
These are great tips and I definitely have to echo the “keep moving” one. I didn’t after blue Ox, and I think I’m definitely paying for it now!
I can always feel it when I don’t move enough after a race! It’s so tempting to just sit or lay down and not move the rest of the day!
YES to everything! I always end up either sitting down or just standing still for too long after a race and it always ends up being a big regret.
My #1 tip for post-race recovery is to NEVER take a red eye flight the same day that you run a marathon. REALLLLLLY bad idea! Possibly the stupidest thing I have ever done in my entire life! haha
Oh wow that is a really great tip!! I will make sure to never do that!:)
Great tips! I was wishing I would have checked a bag with some protein/carb food after my half last weekend since they weren’t offering much that I could enjoy and the lines to get food were out of control! I didn’t end up eating much of anything except a Suju juice, a Vega recovery drink and a Quest bar. When I got home at 3:30 I was starving!
I never check a bag so usually rely on the food they have after the race. Last weekend my dad brought me a bag to the finish line which was really great. I try to eat something there and if its not enough then my first priority after I leave the race is to get some food!
Goodness I wish I’d seen this before now, lol. I did most of these, but I definitely didn’t move enough RIGHT after the my marathon on Saturday. I went stiff as a board. Terrible. Thanks so much for posting this!! I’ll be coming back to it as I’m sure it isn’t going to stick in my swiss cheese brain. 🙂
I hope that this helps for your future races! It took me awhile to learn to keep moving- it can be so tempting to stop moving as soon as that finish line is crossed!
Great tips, I never do any dynamic stretching after the race. I will definitely try that after MCM this weekend! Glad you like your AMRAP bars!!
I hope that your race recovery is going well! Congrats!!
I totally do all of these… foam rolling helps so much! I wish I had remembered to pack my foam roller for SF… I used the ones they had but NOT the same.
Which foam roller do you have? i use the trigger point one and now nothing else compares. If I try to use a blue or black foam one I feel like it doesn’t do anything!
Great tips, Lisa!
I just had a 1-hour leg massage two days ago, right after my trail race. It was so good!
Now I think I will need to do that after every race, haha!
That sounds amazing! Yes, thats a great plan to do that after every race!
I remembered how to race on Saturday, lol, but I also did a good job with recovery (which I’m still doing). I’m thinking about getting a massage, tho. I haven’t had one since the year before the pandemic.
Neither have I. I didn’t get them that often before. But they are so nice after a race!
It has been a while! I do take extra days to recover after a race and slowly to a reverse taper back to where I was mileage-wise. I believe races take more out of us than we realize with travel, extra mental stress as well the physical ones.
So true- the stress is definitely a big factor!
I always try to keep moving (after a good couple of minutes catching my breath LOL). This morning, I did some stairs right after my 1-mile time trial. I’m lucky…the outdoor stairway is right by the track. Doing so gave me some dynamic stretches (especially for my calves and hammies) and kept my heart rate moderately elevated for a few minutes before I walked back home. I think I’m going to keep up that routine.
Stairs after a mile timed trial? I guess that’s “lucky” lol!
I usually walk around for a while after a race or long run. I try to carry on with my day as usual after a short rest. I find if I sit too long after a race I stiffen up. It’s always nice to get a massage the next day too. Great tips!
Its good to carry on with your day if you can! But I often find myself just wanting to relax, which may include too much sitting.
Great tips. Eating is a priority. It depends where I am. A flight home after is not a good idea.
Hot tub is my favorite.
Oh yea flights are definitely a struggle! Hot tub after a race sounds amazing.
It HAS been a long time for me. Funny, I was just thinking about the whole keep walking after a race today.
While I will move around immediately post race, I’m definitely guilty of laying around the rest of the day. A lot!
And if it’s a longer race, I’m usually not hungry for a really, really long time afterwards. Unless I am! The body is so weird! But I do know it’s important to restock that glycogen, too!
My appetite is weird too! I find that usually I can drink something, so if chocolate milk is an option I go for that.
Yes, it’s good to review post-race protocol! It’s been awhile. Good to be reminded that your race may not be offering food nowadays. Moving around right after the race and throughout the day definitely helps a lot!
I think if I were to race I would plan to bring my own food, since you just don’t know what will be available!
Great tips! When I finished my race, I was a little out of sorts but I did make sure to keep moving and rehydrate! I didn’t get to foam roll post-race but I did change into compression socks which are always a help to me for recovery, especially on the drive home!
Oh yes compression socks are great for recovery after a race!
Ooooh. I could use a good beer after a race. That’s something that’s been missing since coming back.
Right now, my race recovery is about the same as my long run recovery. Actually, my long runs are longer than my races, so they get more by way of recovery.
That’s a good point about your long runs! Sometimes those can take more out of us than an actual race.
I’m so bad directly after a race in spite of knowing better. I look for a place to sit down then stay there for a long while. I do eat though. Well, except for a marathon when my stomach usually won’t handle anything other than water for several hours.
I’ve had that issue after marathons too. I found that chocolate milk worked really well for me. Too bad that’s not always available after races!
Great tips! I usually make it a priority to eat whatever sounds good, which is usually potato chips. Then I take a couple days off, up to a week off if it was a marathon.
I agree its a great idea to eat whatever sounds good! Usually our bodies know what they need, whether its salt or protein or carbs, etc.