Your training after the Virgin London Marathon
When you’ve finally completed the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, after all those months of training, you’ll probably be wondering what to do next. Here’s our guide to continuing your training programme and keeping your fitness levels up:
Have a rest – you’ve earned it!
After the big day it’s really important that you take things easy for a while. You’ll probably want to do this anyway because your legs will be feeling stiff and tired, but in case you were planning to get straight back into your exercise routine, it’s not advised.
Your body needs to recover for several reasons. Firstly, runners who’ve just completed a marathon often suffer some muscle cell damage - it’s important your muscles are given a chance to repair themselves.
Another important thing to consider is your immune system. For about a month after the race it will be at a low, leaving you open to infections. You might want to increase your intake of vitamin C and zinc after the race to help fight off bugs.
If you’re going to exercise in the days after the race, walking is recommended. A steady 15 or 20 minute walk will help get you back into the swing of things and help your legs recover, without putting your body under too much strain.
For more tips, read our full guide to recovering after the race.
Gently does it
Having just run a marathon your endurance levels will be at their highest, so now’s a great time to continue with your training and capitalise on the strength you’ve built up. You’ve worked really hard to get to this level and it’s easier to keep it up than it is to stop running and start again from scratch.
A runner’s endurance levels quickly start to decline when they’re not training regularly, so we recommend you start training again after 5 days of rest. If you were training 4 times a week before the Virgin London Marathon, start exercising 2 or 3 times a week and slowly build back up to 4.
Here’s an example of a training plan to bring you back up to speed:
| Race day | - |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Resting time (gentle walking can help speed up your recovery) |
| Week 2 | Train every other day |
| Week 3 | Repeat: 2 days training, 1 day off |
| Week 4 | Repeat: 3 days training, 1 day off |
| Week 5+ | Resume your normal training routine and continue at this level |
Your next event
It’s a good idea to set yourself a new race to work towards following the Virgin London Marathon. It will keep you focussed on your training and give you the motivation to stay fit.
Find out about other races and events taking place throughout the year.
