After months of training for a half or full marathon, you’ve finally finished this epic race. Maybe you’ve experienced the thrill of being the runner of your dreams, with a shiny new race medal and a brand new PR. Hope you too bask in the glory of completion. But now?
Of course, you want to maintain your optimal fitness level, but you don’t want to overtrain or lose all your hard work. So, to help you do just that, we talked to expert running coaches to create a maintenance running plan. Follow these tips to stay in shape between races while keeping your athletic dynamics high and your risk of injury low.
First, tilt the rest
It’s 100% okay (actually encouraged!) to stand up and rest after a race – in fact, it’s the #1 run maintenance tip of any running coach. “I usually take three days of complete rest, and then I’ll get back into some cross-training,” says Amanda Nurse, a former Olympic Trials runner and RRCA-certified running coach in Boston.
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John Hornerkampan RRCA- and USATF-certified running coach with over 20 years of experience, agrees that it’s smart to listen to your body and take the time you need after a big race.
Both experts say that, in general, rest as many days as there are miles covered in a race.
Brian Beutel, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at The Restoration Space in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and owner of Forge Physio Fit, says strenuous training can tax the body’s tissues, bones and immune system, and even the nervous system. That’s why rest and recovery are critical to avoid exceeding your threshold and risking injury or performance, says Beutel. (Injuries can not only prevent you from performing an ongoing maintenance schedule, but can keep you absent for much longer than planned breaks.)
Remember: While your mind may be ready to jump back into running and training quickly for another race, it’s important to be patient. Your body needs time to recover – from the physical stress of long hours of training and the competition itself. “Taking a week off in general isn’t a bad move and can actually help a runner get back into accelerated ascents rather than pushing forward prematurely. Time spent not running after a marathon is gained later time—push, rest/recover, progress,” says Beutel.
If you have an injury during a game — such as a shin splint or a tight IT strap — you may need to take more Take some time off and focus on longer periods of cross-training before returning to running.
Beutel recommends focusing on these four points during recovery from a marathon or half marathon:
- Prioritize your sleep schedule
- Focus on nutrition and hydration
- Reduce your overall training volume by about 50% for the first month or so and keep the intensity low
- Remember exercise should feel good
Add More Strength Training and Cross-Training to Your Routine
While it’s wise to stop running for a few weeks, stopping all activity may be detrimental to progress, says Beutel. “Exercise will do more to reduce soreness with exercise,” he says. So to stay fit, just move in a different way.
“I usually recommend some form of exercise that feels good and directly manages energy, mood, sleep, and stress after a long run or marathon,” adds Beutel. For example, if you’re used to breathing during training If you’re looking for fresh air, don’t give up—consider swapping out your typical run for a long walk, light hike or bike ride.
Strength training and cross-training naturally take a backseat during race training, especially as you get closer to race day and increase your mileage, even during tapers. But after you’ve crossed the finish line, it’s time to add them back into your maintenance run schedule.
Honerkamps recommends starting strength training with your own body weight after a race. Target core work, like the plank, and other major movement patterns, like squats, deadlifts, and lunges, without dumbbells. He says it’s safe to restart bodyweight training fairly soon after a race, even if only a few days later, if you feel comfortable.
Nurses agree that once you’re not fatigued during a game, meaning your muscles aren’t sore and you feel like your energy is back at 100%, that’s a good time to start strengthening your strength training. “It’s okay to be a little sore after strength training [when you don’t have a long run or hard training session the next day] So now is a great time to start lifting weights,” she says. Like running, you want to build your strength slowly, so don’t grab the heaviest weight right after you’re done—build it up gradually.
In the first few weeks after a big race, she typically runs three to four times a week, supplemented by cross-training, Nurse said. In addition to strength training, yoga, Pilates, cycling, and swimming are all good options.
gradually increase the mileage
Nurse recommends running anywhere between 0 and 10 miles the first week after a race, then start adding about 10% to 15% to your total mileage each week as you complete your running maintenance program.
The first weekend long run after a big race shouldn’t be too long. “A distance of about 5 to 8 miles is a seven-day long run,” says Nurse, if you’re getting back to that fast pace.
Also remember that your first few long runs after a race should be easy and the focus should be on your feet, not your pace, adds Nurse. Remember, this is the time to recover and log some easy miles. The intensity of an easy run should be low-intensity—you should be able to talk while walking—and the duration should be short to moderate.
Think of it as a timetable that frees you from constraints in your training and allows your runs to feel more spontaneous. Perhaps this is also a time to practice running more intuitively or more mindfully.
work in a lightspeed meeting
Once you’re not feeling sore from easy runs, try some speedwork, knowing that speedwork doesn’t have to be all-out work. When you’re doing running maintenance between races, Nurse recommends doing more effort-based work in speedwork rather than trying to hit a specific pace. “It’s a great way to maintain speed and stamina, and work on building running economy and form,” she says.
Fartlek runs are a great way to go when it comes to these effort-based intervals. This is an unstructured speed workout – no pace is allowed! To do this, find a spot on the road or trail and pick up the pace when needed. For example, run quickly from one tree to the next, then slow down as you pass the next three trees.
Nurse also recommends adding strides at the end of a few runs a week as another way to incorporate casual speedwork. “It’s a great way to slowly build up speed without jumping back into a hard workout prematurely,” she says.
Honerkamp reminds runners that this in-between period is a great opportunity to work out more carefree. “It can be just going out on a routine, not just running, but finding a hill and repeating the hills a few times, doing some easier intervals, or an easier pace, and you just pick it up where you like it ,”He says.
Essentially, a maintenance running program provides time to enjoy the freedom of not being bound to a specific training program, while still challenging yourself and maintaining speed and endurance. This low-key approach to training isn’t just good for your body, it’s also good for your mind.
Run maintenance plans for each level
If you’re better off following a specific plan, we’ve got three to choose from that will still give you freedom in your mileage and cross-training. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate runner, or advanced runner (check out the first week’s workout to see which is best for you), these 4-week programs can help you stay fit. Before you start these plans, remember to take a few days, weeks or even a month off after the race to do some R&R.
4 Week Beginners Program
4 week mid-term plan
4 week premium plan
Jennifer Acker joined the editorial team at Runner’s World and Bicycling in January 2022. A former freelance writer and NCAA runner, she started running as a kid and basically never stopped. She also enjoys outdoor adventures such as hiking, skiing, and mountain biking.
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