Athletico Health Resources

Marathon training is a months-long, demanding endeavor. Early morning runs, careful attention to our food and water intake, and dealing with fatigued legs dominate our training season. Once the marathon ends, we deserve a well-earned rest: physical and mental. However, proper recovery from running a marathon should prepare us for our next physical pursuit, not just promote relaxation. From minutes to weeks after racing, our post-marathon timeline has different considerations to help our bodies recover. Want to know what each stage of recovery from a marathon should include? Read below to plan your first steps of recovery at the finish line.

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Runners are some of the most motivated and driven athletes we encounter in the physical therapy world. Most of the time, this is great, but sometimes, they push through aches and pains until they turn into injuries. A common complaint we hear in runners is knee pain. Although pushing through some pain is okay, it should never limit your performance. Here are a few proactive ways to avoid knee pain and go that extra mile.

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Completing a marathon is an incredible achievement, but the journey doesn’t end at the finish line. The hours and days following a marathon are crucial for recovery and preventing injuries. Physical therapy plays a significant role in helping runners bounce back effectively. In this blog post, we will discuss essential post-marathon recovery strategies that every runner should consider. These tips, recommended by physical therapists, will help you minimize soreness, reduce the risk of injuries, and get back to running with confidence.

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Embarking on a running routine brings many health benefits. More robust cardiovascular fitness, enhanced daily energy, improved body composition, and greater stamina are all scientifically known benefits of running. These benefits, however, are based on a regular and consistent habit of running. Are you interested in starting a running program, but unsure where to start? This blog has you covered. Here, you will find an all-inclusive 8-week program for new runners. This plan is great for brand-new runners, with little or no prior experience. First, some things to consider:

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Congratulations! You did it! 26.2 is a long way, particularly on foot. Take some time to embrace your journey, your success, and the obstacles you overcame. Take a look below for the top 3 tips of how to embrace your mental health after running a marathon and avoid the post-marathon blues.

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Our Achilles tendons don’t often get the praise they deserve. These large tendons on the back of our lower leg are surprisingly strong, and vitally important, especially for runners. The Achilles connects the muscles in our calves to our heel bones. Specifically, they connect the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the back of our calcaneus bone. Because of their attachment point, the Achilles tendons help propel us forward when we walk, run, or jump. Through this attachment, our Achilles tendons can withstand up to ten times our normal body weight when we run or jump. Just think about how many strides you took during your last run, and how many times up to ten times your body weight was placed on your Achilles tendon! Luckily you had a tough Achilles tendon to absorb all that force.

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Stamina and endurance are often used as interchangeable descriptors in the world of endurance sports. ‘Runners are known for impressive stamina’ or ‘Triathletes train their bodies for maximal endurance’ are synonymous on the surface. However, stamina and endurance do not have the same technical meaning. Stamina relates to an individual’s ability to sustain peak energy output. Endurance relates to the length of time an individual can sustain moderate level activity.

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For those that don’t know me, I am nothing like your typical marathon runner. I have the build more so of an offensive lineman, nothing like the marathoners you see in the media. But I am always up for a good challenge. I signed up through a charity in late-2021 for the 2022 Chicago Marathon.

I knew running a marathon wouldn’t be easy. But there are so many unexpected challenges that arise along the way.

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