Recovery

As a way to track my recovery process following my first marathon... It was Wednesday of this week - so 4 days after - that I felt no lingering soreness or effects whatsoever. The top of my left ankle is still a little tender from where the shoelace cut into it, but my legs are fine, stairs are fine, the blisters on my right foot are fine. I feel good.

Still, I have determined to not run for at least a week. I want to give my muscles a rest, not even so much from the marathon, but from all the training leading up to it. I did ride my bicycle a few days this week - nice and easy and no more than 5 miles at a time. I've also been trying to remember to do my normal yoga moves off and on. Otherwise, I haven't done much.

Sometimes I forget just how worn down I felt right before the taper started some three weeks out from the race. My knees were sore and I felt tired and sluggish. Tapering really did help that feeling though, as I was completely refreshed on race day.

I keep telling myself that I'd like to start weight training. I would still like to, but it somehow just seems easier to run. I think maybe it's just easier to space out into my zone when running. It would likely do me good to change things up for awhile though. We will see...

One thing I wanted to do was weigh myself before and after the race, but I forgot. I burned like 3300 calories or something, but I was also a little heavier by race day, what with all the carb-loading. I have already dropped several pounds just this week. It would be nice to get down around 155 again, but that would mean taking off 10 pounds. I know it's possible, but...

Anyway, I am somewhat surprised I feel as good as I do physically. I kind of thought it might take longer to recover. Although, I thought I might feel worse at the end as well. So it's a pleasant surprise. :)