24 hours after yangma marathon
Crossing the finish line at the Yangzhou Marathon must have been incredibly exciting and thrilling! Cheer to your heart's content; this is your show time!
Congratulations on completing the race and achieving your personal best! Although the race is over, recovery has just begun. To avoid being immobile due to soreness in the coming week, you need to focus on recovery! Let's see what you should do in the 24 hours after the Yangzhou Marathon.
2016/4/24 (End of the Yangzhou Marathon)
10:00 After crossing the finish line, don't stop immediately. Keep walking at a steady pace for 5 minutes. After receiving your medal, rehydrate immediately. It's best to replenish with sports drinks and energy bars.
10:20 Wipe off your sweat (to avoid catching a cold) and do a thorough full-body stretch. The finish area is usually an open square without any footrests, so we recommend the following stretching exercises.
1. Calf Stretch
If there is a curb, use the stretching method shown in the picture.
If there is no curb
You can only use standing or prone calf stretches.
2. Front Thigh Stretch
Stretch using a lamppost for support.
Stretch without any support.
3. Back Thigh Stretch
4. Glute Stretch
Stretch using a lamppost for support.
Stretch without any support.
5. Inner Thigh Stretch
6. Outer Thigh Stretch
7. Abdominal Stretch
8. Back Stretch
9. Side Abdominal Stretch
10:50 After stretching, put on a jacket and long pants, eat a banana, and head back.
11:20 Take a shower. After your body warms up, have a meal.
12:00 Have a meal (eat easily digestible foods; avoid overeating after the marathon).
13:30 Rest.
15:30 Replenish with honey water and a banana.
16:00 Take a relaxing 20-minute walk and continue with thorough full-body stretching.
17:00 Drink freshly squeezed fruit juice.
18:00 Have dinner.
20:00 Drink honey water, communicate with family and friends, and handle related matters.
22:00 Rest. A good night's sleep is the best way to recover.
2016/4/25 (The day after the Yangzhou Marathon)
7:30 Have breakfast (recommend easily digestible foods with a high glycemic index).
Recommended menu: milk + eggs + white bread + jam.
8:30~11:30 On the first day after the race, muscle reactions are usually significant but not severely uncomfortable. Go to work as usual (during work, use free time to focus on stretching your calves, thighs, and glutes).
12:00 Have lunch (eat more high-quality protein with low oil to help repair damaged muscles).
12:30 Take a relaxing walk.
13:00 Take a nap.
14:00~17:00 Work.
18:00 Take a brisk 30-minute walk. It is not recommended to do a so-called 'lactic acid run,' as this is a misconception.
18:30 Full-body stretching.
19:00 Have dinner.
22:00 Rest.
Note:
1. After the race, glycogen stores in the body are reduced. Actively replenish sugar to eliminate fatigue. The sooner you replenish, the better. Focus on liquid and easily digestible foods.
The ideal time to replenish sugar is immediately after the race, 15-30 minutes later, and 2 hours later. Then, continue to replenish every 1-2 hours. The amount should be 0.75-1g/kg of body weight. The total sugar intake within 24 hours should be 9-16g per kilogram of body weight. Glycogen synthase levels in muscles are high within 6 hours after the race, making sugar replenishment most effective.
2. After the race, the body's immune system is weakened, making it easy to catch a cold. The fluctuating temperatures of the season increase the risk of illness. Keep warm and pay attention to your diet. Avoid spicy and greasy foods. For 2-3 days after the race, maintain a high-sugar diet and ensure adequate protein and trace element intake to speed up recovery.
3. Regarding the question of whether to do a 'lactic acid run' on the second day after the race: it is not recommended. On the first day after the race, the body is still in a state of fatigue and disarray. It needs rest and repair. Doing a 'lactic acid run' at this time will only further exhaust the body, lower immunity, and lead to severe fatigue.
Lactic acid is not the cause of muscle soreness. Muscle soreness on the second day after the race is mainly due to micro-damage to muscle structures, which is normal. Runners may also experience knee and joint pain. Therefore, on the second day after the race, it is best to take a brisk walk or stretch and get plenty of rest to aid recovery.