Recovering from the Yorkshire Marathon

Every autumn thousands of runners come through York for the Yorkshire Marathon, and for a few days after, half the city comes down the stairs sideways. This one's for you.

A marathon is basically controlled damage. Muscle fibres torn, inflammation doing its job, and the soreness that peaks about two days later is the repair work kicking in. Recovery isn't about switching that off. It's about helping it along: blood flow, sleep and easy movement, all week.

That's where heat and cold come in, with some honest advice on timing. For the first day or two, go easy on both. A long roasting sauna straight after a maximal effort just adds stress, and sitting in ice at the finish line mostly numbs your legs. A warm bath, a gentle walk and an early night will do you more good.

From day two or three, contrast starts earning its keep. A moderate sauna gets blood to the muscle without asking it to do any work, and the sleep you get afterwards is where the repair actually happens. Short goes in the cold take the edge off the inflammation, and off the post-race slump most runners know about and don't mention. Warm water in between lets the legs relax. Three easy rounds, a couple of times that week, is about right.

None of that's a medical protocol and none of it replaces the basics. Eat well, drink well, sleep long, keep the first runs back short and slow. Heat and cold help all of that along. They don't replace it.

We're bringing the full setup to the city where the race finishes. A Northern Ritual site is coming to York soon: three saunas, three plunges, three jacuzzis, outside, booked online. The plan is that next race week, your recovery is ten minutes away instead of down the motorway.

Until then, well done on the miles. Walk it off gently, and register your interest so the next one ends better.