This time last week I was celebrating a very enjoyable marathon victory. It wasn’t a personal best but it was one of my better runs by way of enjoyment, effort, and time. The weather was perfect for a run and I felt terrific upon finishing. I felt so good, I decided to run the annual Heart Run and Walk. It’s not a race but an organized run of multiple distances: 3 mile, 5 mile, 10 mile, and 18 mile. For the past 4 years, I have run the 18 mile as part of my Boston Marathon training. This year, since I just ran the Phoenix Marathon, I decided on the 10 mile run. Upon returning from my 3 mile warm up with the dogs, I knew this was a mistake.
After 16 marathons, you would think this runner would know the proper recovery routine. What it comes down to is that I am a runner with a runner’s mentality. This mentality dictates run no matter what. If it hurts, it will feel better after a few miles. If you’re tired, start running, you’ll get over it. And so I ran the 10 mile Heart Run distance and suffered. Not that I hurt, although my hamstring began squealing after about 8 miles, but I was tired. Tired upon jogging with the dogs during my warm up and tired the length of the run. There is still significant training to be done before Boston in April so risking injury was stupid. I should have opted for an easy, relaxed 8 – 10 mile recovery paced run and then maybe I could have run another easy 4 – 6 the day after. Now I go into week 2 of post marathon and PRE Boston feeling a bit beaten down – again.
If you are an experienced marathoner, with 4 or more marathons under your belt, this is my idea of recovery IF you have another marathon coming up within 6 – 8 weeks, otherwise, take a month off: *All this depends on how you feel when you begin to run again.
Take 2 to 3 days off following your marathon. The first day back running, go no more than 3 – 4 miles. Take the next day off. Run the following day for 5 – 6 miles. These should all be easy miles. Take a day off. Do weights or swim or some other form of cross training. Ease into a slightly longer run, 8 – 10 miles, still easy, recovery pace. Monitor how the body responds to running. If nothing hurts and you begin to find your energy again, ramp it up accordingly.
What is your idea of marathon recovery for the experienced marathon doing multiple marathons per season/year?
SNACK CAKE
It’s an easy snack cake to make that is moist and fluffy, berry loaded and banana infused. It takes 10 minutes to put the ingredients together and 50 minutes to bake. Nothing could be more simple and more satisfying to the sweet tooth.
Makes 10 servings.
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 over ripe banana
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup melted butter (*Might want to try canola oil if your leaning towards a slightly healthier recipe)
- 3/4 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted – do not dry or drain
Preheat oven to 360 F. Spray a 9” pan with non stick spray.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in one bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the banana, eggs, heavy cream, yogurt and vanilla.
Blend in the melted butter, just until lightly blended then carefully fold in the raspberries and juice, leaving red streaks throughout the mix.
Pour into prepared pan and back for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and scatter some berries. For an extra treat, drizzle a little honey on top of the yogurt.
What is your favorite berry? Mine are blueberries by far!
- •1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- •1 cup sugar
- •2 tsp baking powder
- •1 tsp salt
- •3 large eggs
- •1 over ripe banana
- •3/4 cup heavy cream
- •1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- •1 tsp vanilla extract
- •1/2 cup melted butter (*Might want to try canola oil if your leaning towards a slightly healthier recipe)
- •3/4 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted – do not dry or drain
- Preheat oven to 360 F. Spray a 9” pan with non stick spray.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in one bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the banana, eggs, heavy cream, yogurt and vanilla.
- Blend in the melted butter, just until lightly blended then carefully fold in the raspberries and juice, leaving red streaks throughout the mix.
- Pour into prepared pan and back for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Joanne
Those are great tips for taking it easy after a marathon – not so easy to follow when you’ve got another marathon that you’re excited to run soon, though! The cake sounds delicious and looks so moist!
Mmm I like the idea of adding in greek yogurt and bananas. I wonder if subbing in coconut oil for the butter would work too. Sounds great to try. My favorite berry is a raspberry followed by in-season strawberries. I can’t get enough of any berry in the Summer though!