You did it. Whatever the clock says, you've just asked your body to cover 42.2km, and the next two weeks decide how well you bounce back and how soon you can train properly again.
Most recovery advice stops at "rest and eat well". This plan is about the part that takes longest to catch up: your tendons, ligaments and joints. Here's what to do in the first three days, how to ease back in, and when to get something looked at.
Why the soreness fades before you've recovered
Your muscles are the quick healers. The stiffness on the stairs on Monday usually eases within a few days. Your connective tissue works to a slower clock. Tendons and ligaments adapt more slowly than muscle and keep remodelling for weeks after the soreness has gone.
That's why many runners feel ready to go again long before their Achilles and knees are. The aim of the first fortnight is to be patient with that slower clock.
Days one to three: let it settle
- Walk. Twenty or thirty minutes, as often as you like. Gentle movement beats a day on the sofa.
- Eat properly. Proper meals with protein and carbohydrate, plus plenty of fluids. This is not the week for a diet.
- Sleep. Early nights are the cheapest recovery tool you have.
- Keep your routine. If you take OOST, have it with breakfast, as you would on any rest day.
Days four to fourteen: ease back in
When your legs say yes, start with short, easy sessions: a gentle run, a spin or a swim. Keep the effort conversational and leave race pace well alone for now.
- Go short before you go long. Build time on your feet gradually over the fortnight.
- Mix it up. Cross-training lets your tendons keep ticking over without another pounding.
- Time it around sessions. From day four, take your sachet 30 to 40 minutes before training. On rest days, back to breakfast.
When to see a physio
General stiffness should ease within a few days. Get checked if you have:
- sharp or worsening pain around the knee or Achilles
- swelling that isn't going down
- pain that wakes you at night or gets worse as you warm up
Our runner's knee recovery plan covers one of the most common post-race problems.
Your two weeks at a glance
| When | What to do | OOST |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | Walk, eat, sleep, fluids | One sachet with breakfast |
| Days 4 to 7 | Short, easy sessions only | 30 to 40 minutes before training; breakfast on rest days |
| Days 8 to 14 | Build time gradually, add cross-training | As above |
| Week 3 onwards | Back into your normal plan, with quality work last | As above |
Where OOST ReGen & Recover fits
OOST ReGen & Recover is a single-dose liquid sachet built for hard training blocks. Each sachet combines:
- 8,000mg marine collagen, hydrolysed into small peptides
- Vitamin C, which your body needs to make collagen
- Glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin, building blocks of cartilage
- Vitamin D, for bone and muscle function
- Curcumin with piperine, the active compound in turmeric plus black pepper extract
It's Informed Sport certified, so every batch is tested for banned substances.
The timing is simple: one sachet 30 to 40 minutes before training, so it's available while your tendons are being loaded, and with breakfast on rest days. You can read the thinking behind that in our Pre-Training Protocol, and in what the latest tendon research found.
Take it further
The marathon is behind you. The next block is built on how well you recover from this one. Be patient, keep it easy, and look after the slow-healing parts.
If you're planning for the next one, our final three weeks guide is a good place to start.
Take It Further.
Free UK & Ireland delivery on subscriptions.
FAQs
How long does it take to recover from a marathon?
Most people feel back to normal in everyday life within a few days. Your tendons and joints take longer, so give yourself about two weeks of easy training before you build back up.
Should I rest completely after a marathon?
A day or two of proper rest is fine, but gentle walking from day one tends to help. Complete inactivity for a week often leaves you stiffer.
When can I run again after a marathon?
When your legs say yes, usually from around day four, and only short and easy to start. If anything is sharp or getting worse, see a physio first.
Should I keep taking OOST after the race?
Yes. Keep going through the fortnight after: with breakfast on days one to three, then 30 to 40 minutes before training once you're back moving.
Is OOST suitable for tested athletes?
It's Informed Sport certified. Every batch is tested for substances on the WADA prohibited list before it's released.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, are taking medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before use.
