It’s marathon season! We’ve been cheering on so many of you through races like Twin Cities, Chicago, and of course Des Moines. Congratulations to everyone who’s finished, and good luck to those racing in the coming weeks!
A common questions we get from runners is:
“How much time should I take off after a marathon?”
The Short Answer
You should plan to take 7–10 days off from running after your marathon. Here’s why.
What Happens to Your Body After a Marathon
Running 26.2 miles challenges nearly every system in your body—from your muscles and tendons to your immune system. Here’s what’s going on internally during recovery.
1. Muscle Inflammation and Micro-Trauma
Even without visible soreness or injury, your muscles experience micro-tears and cellular damage during a marathon. This leads to inflammation and elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin, markers of muscle stress. Research shows these markers remain elevated for up to a week.
Even if you feel fine, your body is still healing. Give it time.
2. Temporary Immune Suppression
After intense endurance efforts, your immune system weakens temporarily. This stress response can elevate cortisol levels and increase your risk of illness or overtraining syndrome, especially if you jump back into training too soon.
Taking a full week off helps your body restore balance. Long-term, runners should also schedule planned breaks every 6 months to prevent chronic fatigue or burnout.
Will I Lose Fitness During Recovery?
Not significantly. Studies show that little to no fitness is lost with 7–10 days of rest. In fact, recovery allows your body to rebuild stronger.
If you extend your downtime, you can maintain fitness by resuming at about 50% of your normal training volume once you return. Even if you lose a bit of fitness, it becomes a strong base to build on for your next training cycle.
Think of your body like a house: constant training adds new rooms and levels, but rest is when you reinforce the foundation. Without that foundation, the structure weakens over time.
Can You Speed Up Marathon Recovery?
The truth: there’s no shortcut. Your tissues, immune system, and energy stores need time to heal.
However, light activity and recovery tools can help you feel better:
- Short walks or very easy short runs
- Massage, stretching, or foam rolling
- Compression boots, ice baths, or e-stim (if they feel good for you)
While these can improve comfort, they don’t accelerate physiological recovery. You still need those 7–10 days off running.
Mental Recovery Matters Too
Many runners struggle with rest after big races. If you find it hard to slow down, consider talking with your coach, therapist, or healthcare provider. Mental recovery is just as important as physical recovery.
At Shaw Spine & Sport, we help runners recover smarter—not just faster. If you’re ready to analyze your gait, improve your running form, or safely return to training, our 3D Gait Analysis and performance programs can help you stay strong, efficient, and injury-free.
