Marathon runners - what did you feel like after?

[Nancery]

I mean, immediately after? I am wondering what I need to have handy (salty snacks? warm clothes regardless of weather? that kind of thing.) Also, will I be capable (or likely to be capable) of making plans for the evening / later in the afternoon?

I've only done one and I was wiped out. Definitely warm clothes, fluids and snacks. Electrolytes are probably a good idea. I was good for nothing in the evening other than a bath and an early night.

I was stiff the next day (and beyond) but deliberately kept moving with a gentle walk combined with sightseeing.

I think how well you recover is quite different though depending on how well you've trained and fueled yourself. My training got a bit detailed at the end due to injury so possibly I was more tired than I otherwise would have been.

Do you mean you had to do more training (not necessarily running) because of injury far closer to the marathon than would have been ideal?

It's all about how well you fuel during the run. After my first marathon, where I had a lot of GI distress all the way round, I felt like poop and it took a couple of days to recover, and probably a week before I could face exercise. I certainly couldn't have gone out that evening. After my 5th marathon, where I religiously drank/ate every 15 minutes (so drink 1, eat 2, drink 3, eat 4), I felt fine afterwards. A bit cold after coming through the finishers faff (definitely grateful for the jumper I had in my drop bag) and I demolished a sandwich in about 4 bites on the tube home, but was up and about for a pub trip later in the evening.

Probably wouldn't have been up for a night of dancing! I had a day off afterwards mainly because it's such a long day and I don't sleep well the night before a race, but I went for a swim and felt good, then back at work on the Tuesday as normal.

The first one I think I was weirdly un-hungry at first, so maybe best to have a range of snacks that you normally like after long training runs so you've got options. Keep walking and stretch a bit if you can, and pack a full set of clean dry comfy clothes including comfy socks. After a couple of hours I was totally up for a massive Sunday roast, several glasses of wine and five scoops of ice cream though.

The following day it was a bit of a challenge lowering myself onto the toilet.

I would probably not make afternoon plans though. Even though you have a good idea of your desired time, it's amazing how much those thoughts like "I need to be at Trafalgar Square at 3, I'm not going to make it, I'm going to let everyone down, I can't do this" can rear their ugly heads at around 18 miles. By the way, those thoughts are a good indication that you're short on fuel and need to take some hydration and nutrition on board. But they can be very derailing and stressful. So I'd probably make evening plans, or very relaxed afternoon plans.

I expected to be hungry, but actually didn't want anything eat for hours, and even then couldn't face any of the rich "treat" food I thought I was looking forward to.

You'll get cold very quickly, so have warm dry clothes to change into.

Your plans for after will depend on what kind of run you've had. When I did my first 4 sub 4 hours (in Barcelona) I went flamenco dancing in the evening 🤣 . Other times I've only wanted a darkened room and to be left alone.

The post marathon blues are a very real thing, so have a plan for the days and weeks that follow so you have something to look forward to.

I ran London a couple of years ago - finished mid afternoon, walked back to the hotel with my husband, went to the pub next door for a couple of glasses of champagne then back to hotel for a shower before going out for a curry and some more drinks. Struggled with getting to the train the next morning as legs quite stiff but no other issues.

I mean I didn't really get enough long runs in. So I was probably not quite race fit. I think if I'd got more long runs in I would have been fitter and less knackered after.

I was 30 when I did it and on such a high afterwards. I was pretty slow but ran every step in 4 hrs 38 mins.

Afterwards I did a bit of stretching, put warm clothes on and went to the pub in St James Park area with the 5 people I had trained with and we stayed there drinking for a few hours. Then we went for food. I got home about 10pm by which time I was feeling pretty tired! Trying to get to work the next morning was a challenge as I was pretty stiff. Stairs were very difficult and every time I sat down for a bit I stiffened up again. Maybe a bit more stretching after the marathon would have helped but it was amazing in the pub and I have the best memories of the whole day!

I have never run a marathon, but I have done the London triathlon twice (Olympic distance) and both of those times I was on a real high after - but a marathon seems 'harder' so I am wondering if it's even comparable.

My daughter ran her second marathon last year. We walked with her from the finish line to my son's flat in pimlico...about 30 minutes. She said it was good to cool down like that. She prepared really well and fueled well during the race.

I cried, for some reason! Some sort of adrenaline dump/wiped out energy slump kind of thing. Did one trail ultra as well, and I was able to drive myself home - it was about an hour away - but I was pretty knackered and sore. Definitely take layers and dry clothes to change into as you're likely to be sweaty and gross and get chilled quickly once you stop. Something sugary and easy to eat/drink to get a bit of fuel back into you quickly. Don't make too many plans and if you're up to doing something great, but you may just want to decompress.

I’ve done 5 and I’m not fast so it’s a 5 hours ish undertaking. Generally I feel like absolute crap until I’ve had a shower (seems to reset my temperature!).

I take a huge bag of snacks for the end as I never know what I’m going to need- tangfastics, salty crisps, banana, lucozade, flat coke, water 🙈. I’ve done a couple where the fuelling hasn’t gone to plan and it makes me talk absolutely crap and seems to make my brain go a bit fuzzy!

Always a warm layer for the end (trackies and a hoody, even just to pull over your race kit).

I managed to walk 2 miles back to the hotel from the Chicago finish line and it was slow and shuffly but I’m sure it made me feel much less stiff over the next few days! Had a lovely long shower and clean clothes (medal still on!) and walked to dinner, an amazing slap up Mexican! Also managed to walk round the aquarium the next day, though that was a less good idea because although walking was okay, standing around wasn’t!

Comfy shoes for post race! I always absolutely hate putting my feet back into restrictive shoes post race so I like my soft Birkenstocks and generally wear for 2/3 days after!

I do tend to always have an absolutely terrible nights sleep both before and after the race so if I wake up feeling secondhand on the Monday, that’s usually why. I wouldn’t want to work the next day, just so I can have a bit of a lie in but as we usually travel for races, that’s not a problem.

Have the absolute best time and absolutely milk that medal!!!

These are all really helpful, thank you

@user1471548941 I'll be sleeping in my medal!!!

@givemushypeasachance I cry just thinking about it (in a good way) so god knows what I'll be like on the day!

Salty crisps and a full fat Coke! For me it took a while to feel hungry and refuelled with smaller snacks for a few hours after!

I’ve done a marathon once and hated training for it, running it, and recovering from it. I felt sick for the rest of the day and really wasn’t expecting to as a long-term distance runner who’d prepped well. So I just decided never again and I now stick to half marathons and ultra marathons: a half for me is just over 90 minutes and so is basically a nice morning out with relatively minimal long training beforehand; an ultra is a sheer adventure. For me, the full marathon was just a drag without the nice bits!

The day off and immediately aftee was fine. I was not particularly hungry or thirsty but I do recall enjoying some jelly beans. I made the mistake of sitting down on the ground about 1 hour after and I struggled to get up.

We took the train home whwre I got quite cold so used the foil blanket then once home we made and ate dinner as usual

I visited a friend the day after I recall stairs were not comfy. But that was about it.

@Nancery thanks for asking this as it's something I've been thinking about, and best of luck with your marathon! Is it London you're doing?

I was the same after my first. I reckoned it took me a year to recover, mentally and physically and swore never again. A promise I kept for 12 years....the ones I've done since have been much better, although as I said upthreaf, post marathon depression is definitely a real thing.

@WorstPaceScenario Yes!!! I am giddy! Are you doing London too…?

I’ve done lots. If you’ve had gels on the way round you’ll probably want something savoury. Also don’t sit down straight away getting up again will be rough

I think it depends how you fuel & train, how “ready” you were. I always have full fat coke and crisps shortly after finishing and we’ve always gone out for an evening meal afterwards, never had any huge issues with it or not feeling up to that. Have someone bring you some flip flops though to swap into, the relief from taking your trainers of is fabulous😂

@Lastqueenofscotland2 I’m currently using flapjacks and jelly babies. I am a Type 1 diabetic and gel’s make my blood sugar go stupid, but I’m only on 27km (only! Ha!) at the moment so may be thinking twice once I’m running further.