What can I do to recover properly? By Marathon Physio Lucy Macdonald

What will happen if I don’t rest and recover properly?

Rest and recovery should be a fundamental part of your training programme. Without them you will at best plateau in strength and fitness and at worse get weaker, sustain an injury or become ill.

How can I improve my sleep?

Make sure you sleep well. Sleeping is when our recovery and repair goes into turbo drive. If you struggle to sleep focus on getting into a regular bedtime routine and avoid screens. If you still can’t sleep just lie down with your eyes closed and listen to something soothing, it will still help you to recover.

How can I rest my mind?

Rest should involve resting your mind as well as your body so that you can use your mental energy for staying motivated. Activities like reading, listening to music, practicing mindfulness or meditation or doing gentle yoga or swimming are much better than any kind of screen time for relaxing the mind.

Should I still run if I feel excessively tired?

If you are feeling excessively tired you will get more benefit from resting than going for a run.

Eating

Eating properly is essential to recovery (see next post).

More marathon physio advice 

Follow @octopusclinic on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and/or Lucy Macdonald on YouTube to access our latest free videos on marathon training and injury prevention. If you would like our marathon handbook and are running for charity please contact Lucy Macdonald directly on lucymacdonaldphysio@hotmail.co.uk or if you would like to get the video course Your Marathon: Your Physio please click on the link.