5 Great Blue Cross Broad Street Run Recovery Tips

Still sore from the Blue Cross Broad Street Run? How long it takes to recover depends on how well you prepared, how long you were on the course, weather condition, and your age. After Sunday’s heat and humidity you can expect to need one to three weeks before you are fully recovered. Minimize that time with these five keys to recovery:

Hydrate: Post race we have a habit of not worrying about hydrating, but it is the number one key to a quick recovery. I lost 7 lbs in water weight during the race, that’s about 3 ½ liters to replace!

Eat: To fully recover you need to refuel, so you have a great excuse not to diet for a few weeks. Eat a healthy balanced diet and enough calories to maintain your weight.

Move: After 4-6 days you should be ready to exercise again. You don’t need to start running yet, but do something to up your heart rate. Bike, swim, yoga, Frisbee, even a long walk will work.

Massage: Elites like Ryan Hall often have daily massages to help them recover, but even one session can help speed recovery. A good deep massage will loosen you up and let show you what areas you need to stretch or strengthen.

Plan: Mentally you might feel a bit of a letdown a few weeks after a long race. One great way to get back on track is to pick your next event and start training again!

Ross Martinson is the running coach for Team Philly and co-owner of Philadelphia Runner.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ross ran this year’s BCBSR in 54:10, and was the 21st person to cross the finish line. He’s the tall guy in the photo above. Congrats to him and everyone else who stuck it out despite this year’s heat!

Photo courtesy of Independence Blue Cross