Here’s How Long Your Body Needs To Recover After Running A Marathon

You’ve run your first marathon and now you’re itching to start training again.

It’s understandable. Many of us worry that taking too much time off will result in losing all those fitness gains, but the opposite is actually true. Pushing your body to get back into the game sooner than it’s ready could have unhealthy consequences and make it harder to get back to your previous fitness levels.

So the most important question you need to ask yourself is how long should I rest and recover after running a marathon?

Here are some tips from us on the right way to get back to training, as well as what science has to say about what you should expect after a long race.

Things To Know About Recovering After A Marathon

Coaches Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris recently did a podcast about what running a marathon does to your body, which highlights just how important that recovery period is.

If you want a deep dive, we have a complete post marathon recovery guide. There we will go more in-depth on a few of these key tips, the biggest reminder is that just because you may not feel sore does NOT mean your body isn’t still recovering.  Rushing the process can create a lot of inflammation and injury.

• The first three to seven days post-race should focus on rest, hydration, and good nutrition.
• After the initial three days, you can get lightly active again if you feel up to it.
• Soreness typically subsides around day five, but muscles may still be in repair mode.
• You can use the foam roller or get a light massage after the first three to five days, which should help work out soreness without causing further damage.
• After five to seven days, you can go for a deep tissue massage to flush any remaining adhesions.

Now let’s dive more in to the science behind how long you need to recover after a marathon and why.

A Scientific Look At How Long Your Body Needs To Recover

A 2017 study investigated the impact running marathons has on aerobic fitness and performance after runners took a week off from training.

The researchers tested runners before their race and then every day for the next seven days, examining muscle soreness and conducting treadmill tests that measured VO2max at lactate threshold and running economy. They also looked at lactate threshold and peak velocities.

They found only trivial differences between VO2max and lactate threshold/peak velocities and unclear differences for VO2max at lactate threshold and running economy. Seven days later, all metrics were returned to pre-race measurements.

This is great news because their results suggest that running a marathon does not adversely affect aerobic fitness and performances one week after the race!

A different study from 2016 found a certain degree of “cardiac fatigue” in amateur runners even four days after the race. Elevated creatine kinase (CK) is a marker of indirect muscle damage and is correlated with muscle soreness, but it may not be as concerning as originally thought. Why? Because CK is critical to creating energy during exercise, and levels vary greatly based on genetics and a whole host of other factors.

More studies in 2012, 2017, and 2021 all demonstrated that even when runners finished an ultramarathon with CK levels over 14,000 IU/L, they had no worrying symptoms and were able to correct those numbers with rehydration alone.

All of these studies suggest that taking four to eight full days to recover following a marathon isn’t going to negatively impact your goals going forward.

In fact, taking appropriate time off can actually make your body stronger in the long run!

Physical And Mental Recovery After A Marathon Is Necessary

Maybe you want to push it and get back to running sooner? Research shows this is a bad idea. Jumping back in too early could be counterproductive.

Scientists at Ball State University compared a group of runners that took an entire week off from running with a group that began running immediately at an easy pace. After ten days, the runners who rested were better off on tests for endurance and muscle strength, leading to the conclusion that rest and repair is more important for future gains than continuing to train.

Another important thing to keep in mind is making sure to check in with your mental health.

If it’s been 8 or 10 days and you don’t feel like engaging in strenuous physical activity, listen to both your mind and your body. We’re not machines, and everyone recovers from a marathon at different paces. Post-race blues are a real thing, and we’ve put together some tips to combat them.

Also, it can be pretty common to have a compulsion to burn calories or tackle a particular amount of miles because you’ve been training so hard. While your body is not going to lose fitness in a week or two, you might have to pay attention and adopt ways to replace your endorphins for a little while. It’s important to take your vitamins, hydrate, and rest. But if you want to do any physical activity, try some light walking, yoga, or hop on your elliptical.

Just make sure to allow your body the time it needs to rest, repair, and return to the right mental headspace after you’ve run a marathon. Your health, fitness, and overall success as a runner may depend on it.

At the end of the day, only you can be honest with yourself and know for sure when you feel recovered enough to lace up your trainers. Don’t expect to feel ready in any specific amount of time, or compare yourself to others when deciding when your recovery is complete.