What happens to your body after running a marathon? Assessing the damage & planning effective recovery
10th October, 2014
The marathon run is a classic physical, physiological and psychological challenge. Great dedication, planning and "body management" is required to make it to the start line fit and healthy. Once underway, there is no denying that the prolonged and strenuous nature of running the marathon will, at some stage, be characterised by fatigue and elements of pain. Fatigue is typically induced via metabolic demands; dehydration; hyperthermia and damage to muscle fibres. The magnitude of fatigue is ultimately determined by pre-race preparation, race pacing strategies, feeding strategies, the running terrain and the environment on the day.
As the elation and endorphins gradually wear off after completing the marathon, your body will really start talking to you - particularly muscle soreness. Changes are also evident in your circulation, including blood markers that represent muscle damage (elevation in enzymes), inflammation, and immuno-suppression. The precise contributions to muscle damage are multifactorial and complex, but in essence, are a result of the accumulative mechanical (footstrike; muscle loading) and metabolic (energy) demands. Whilst no two athletes respond to the effects of strenous exercise in exactly the same way, there is recent evidence to suggest that pacing strategies are strongly associated with the magnitude of ensuing muscle damage. Indeed, a study by Del Coso and colleagues (2013) demonstrated that the greater the decrement, or fatigue induced decline in pace as the marathon progresses, the greater the magnitude of muscle damage to follow. Clever pacing (even splits or even negative splits) not only give you that great feeling of running onto the finish with the wind in your sails, but will also likley reduce the deleterious magnitude effect of muscle damage after the event.
The question that most runners have after a marathon is "what is the best way to recover" and "when can I resume normal training". The answer to these questions will largely depend on the magnitude of physiological and biochemical disturbances experienced by a runner. Invariably, modified physical activity, nutrition & passive/manual therapies will play important roles.
Melbourne Sports & Allied Health Clinic practitioners are experts in evaluating running induced fatigue and muscle damage, and can provide individualised recovery and return to training strategies, based on your specific post-marathon recovery status.
For more information, or to make a booking, please contact the clinic on 9331 4001.
Good luck to all runners competing in the Melbourne Marathon!