3 Things You Should Never Do After Running A Marathon

When you’re signed up for a bucket-load of running events, it’s only natural to focus completely on your training and preparation for the big day. After all, you’ll want to make sure you’re in the best shape possible, regardless of whether you’re running competitively or to raise money for charity.

However, this inevitably leads to runners letting their guard down as soon as they’ve completed their races. Of course, we don’t blame you for wanting to let your hair down after working your way through a rigorous training programme, but there are certain things you should never do after running a marathon- or any other lengthy race.

Grab A Beer

Okay, we get it. You’ve been training your body for months in preparation for these UK running events and, now that it’s all over, you just want to sit back and celebrate with a cold, frosty beer. Sadly, this is a big no-no after running a marathon, so you might just have to wait a little longer for your celebratory pint.

After a heavy workout, the body is obviously going to be feeling dehydrated and, unfortunately, alcohol won’t leave you feeling hydrated. In fact, it’s going to have completely the opposite effect. Instead of heading straight to the pub, you need to drink plenty of water to rehydrate and allow your body to recover from the day’s exertions.

Time For A Victory Meal!

A common faux pas made by runners is heading out for a big meal straight after the marathon is over. It’s only natural you’d want to celebrate with your family and friends, but your body just won’t be able to handle copious amounts of food so soon after such vigorous exercise.

Even though you probably deserve a slap-up meal to celebrate (in fact, we know you do!), the after-effects of eating so much after exercise certainly isn’t going to be pretty. Instead, you should stick to much smaller portions of food, preferably snacks, and you’ll just have to wait a day or two before booking your big celebratory meal. Sorry, folks!

Skip Post-Race Stretching

Every amateur runner in the world has been guilty of this at some point in their lives, but there’s still no excuse for it! Far too many people get carried away with the relief of finishing the marathon in one piece, and will ultimately completely forget about their cooldown routine.

If you forget to stretch your muscles after the race, you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll be paying for it the next morning. You remembered to warm up before the race, right? Well, the warm down is just as important!

Preparation for running events can be challenging even at the best of times, but you shouldn’t forget to look after your body once the race has finally been run.