Wednesday, January 14, 2009

How to Recover after a Marathon

via PREVENTION

"Physically, avoid anything that will make your body swell up. We know that a hot shower is so inviting, but it's one of the worst things you can do. The science behind avoiding the heat is not very exciting. Simply put, your body--all the joints, muscles, tendons, etc.--are flooded with blood after a rigorous activity like a half- or full marathon. Every part of you is stretched to the limit. Heat will only cause those already swollen parts to swell even more. And there's nothing worse than waking up the morning after a long race feeling like the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Standing in a lukewarm shower is fine, but sitting in a tub of cool water is even better. It sounds awful. It may not even feel all that good as you lower yourself into the tub. But take our word for it: You'll be glad you did it."

Read the rest HERE.

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