Congratulations to All Sydney Marathon Finishers!
Firstly, a massive well done to everyone who raced in the Sydney Marathon over the weekend! 🙌🏻 I had major FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) seeing all the excitement.
Understanding Stress Fractures Post-Marathon
I often see patients with recurrent stress fractures where there seems to be no apparent cause, such as hormone issues, biomechanical problems, or a rapid increase in training load. In 99% of these cases, a detailed history reveals that the fractures are load-related.
The Risk of Returning to Intensity Too Soon
Stress fractures commonly occur when runners return to high-intensity training too soon after a race. Even worse, some runners participate in another race just a couple of weeks after their marathon!
Bone Recovery Time
Even if you feel good muscle-wise and soreness has subsided, your bones are often still recovering. After a marathon, the bone microarchitecture takes 3-4 weeks to fully recover. Races, especially when you give it your all, put much more load and damage on your tissues than regular training runs.
Avoiding Injury
Speed work and tempo runs too soon after a race increase the risk of injury, including stress fractures. I recommend a rule to my patients: for every mile of the race, take one day off from high-intensity running. This means almost four weeks of easy jogging only after a marathon. It may seem conservative, but you won’t lose fitness from 3.5 weeks off speed work. In fact, avoiding injury will benefit your fitness in the long run, as consistency is key to improvement.
Post-Marathon Recovery Tips
- Rest Up: Allow your body to recover fully.
- Nutrition: Eat plenty of protein, carbs, and high-calcium foods to support recovery.
- Enjoy the Buzz: Relish the post-marathon excitement and take pride in your achievement.
- Easy Runs: Enjoy some easy runs without the pressure of a training plan or upcoming race.
Remember, post-race is a high-risk injury time, so take it easy and let your body heal. 😊