It’s been almost a week since more than 19,000 people ran, walked or jogged in the Belfast City Marathon. Thank you to everyone for your hard work.
Planning and preparing for a marathon takes months. Even if you only run part of a relay, you spend weeks thinking about what you’re going to eat, how you’re going to pace yourself, when you’re going to hydrate and refuel, what shoes you’re going to wear, and so on. It should have been. And a kit to wear.
These are all important to getting the most out of your marathon, but if you’ve been eating a lot of cooked meals or junk food this week, your recovery may not be optimal.
If you’re still feeling the aftereffects, put on a kettle, put your feet up, and read these ideas to help you recover.
- Pack anti-inflammatory foods to reduce pain and promote healing. This is especially important if you have been injured or are still experiencing pain.
- Brightly colored fruits such as berries, watermelon, cherries, and grapes.
- All vegetables, but especially dark green leafy vegetables like broccoli, watercress, arugula, and spinach.
- Green Tea.
- Turmeric and ginger – Great as a tea, but even better in curries.
- Fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon.
- extra virgin olive oil.
- Nuts and seeds – especially flaxseed, chia, and walnuts.
- Lubricate your joints with healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and oily fish.
- Proteins are essential for cell regeneration and tissue repair and recovery. The amount of protein required by each athlete will vary depending on age, gender, and other factors, but a rough guide is to ensure you have an adequate source of protein at every meal and consume at least as much protein as your body weight. is what we aim to do. palm. Although you may want to use protein powder, try to consume as many different types of protein sources as possible. Mix various nuts, seeds, and beans into a salad and top with cottage cheese or feta cheese. Choose Greek-style yogurt (which has more protein than regular yogurt), eat meat, fish, or poultry several times a week, or, if you’re a vegetarian, choose more beans, tofu, or tempeh as a staple.
- Carbohydrates help replenish your glycogen energy stores and prepare you for your next parkrun or mini-marathon this weekend. Just to be on the safe side, choose starchy foods, root vegetables like sweet potatoes, and whole grain versions of chocolate.
- An electrolyte drink will help since you lost a lot of salt after last weekend’s race, but adding a little sea salt to your meals can help keep the electrolytes in your body balanced. Coconut water, watermelon, and milk are great ways to help keep your electrolytes up, and any of these could be a good option after this weekend’s run.
- Please stay well hydrated. Always top up the water level. Adding a small amount of cordial to water can help keep you hydrated.
- If you keep running, your iron levels can drop. Replenish your iron levels with lean meats, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and dried fruits.
- Adding some carefully selected nutritional supplements to your recovery plan can also be helpful. A good place to start is vitamin C and a high-quality multivitamin designed for sports recovery.
Enjoy your downtime, relax, and return to the field when you’re ready and able.
