These Half Marathon Recovery Tips from Experts Will Help You Feel Better Faster

Recovering after a half marathon is actually somewhat unique from other distances, including the full marathon and the 10K. Most people running a half are out there for more than an hour, if not over two hours, which puts more stress on your body than a 5K or 10K, even though you may be running slower, says Jen Purvis, D.P.T., owner of Atomic Sports Physio and Performance, offering mobile physical therapy services in Valrico, Florida.

“We stress our bodies by doing a half marathon, meaning that there's microtrauma or micro tears to our muscles, maybe even our tendons,” adds Heather Milton, C.S.C.S., exercise physiologist supervisor at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center. “So we need that time for recovery in order for hormones to respond and build back those tissues so they’re stronger and healthier for the next time we want to go out and race.”

On the flip side, recovering from a full marathon should be even more involved and thoughtful, per Purvis. In fact, Milton says that because it’s more achievable to stick to a half marathon training schedule, compared to the demands of training for a full, she finds that more runners line up to the half starting line fully prepared, and therefore, better able to recover afterwards. “I have a lot of runners that run a half marathon and feel great the next day, so that's a nice benefit [compared to] a longer distance where you might feel soreness a bit longer,” Milton says.

But don’t take that to mean focusing on recovery post-half isn’t absolutely paramount, because it still is: “Not providing the right recovery time and technique puts you at risk for overtraining, as well as not noticing minor muscle strains or sprains that are starting to prop up,” Purvis says. “A lot of times, injuries that become chronic are easily avoidable by doing the proper types of recovery after the event.”

and that means not pushing into pain. Keep the intensity light and breath through each move.

→Stay on Top of Nutrition and Hydration

a bit longer, Milton says nutrition Recovery actually begins midrace and, Shoes & Gear consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour.

When it comes to hydration during a race, go for about 4 to 6 ounces per hour. Providing your body with fluid throughout your workout will help you recover better, Purvis says.

→Just Keep Moving

When you cross the finish line, you may be tempted to grab a seat on the nearest curb, but resist the urge and keep walking! “Our tendency is to want to get off our feet right away, but that allows inflammation to set in [and for] everything to tighten around our hips, knees, and ankles, which could create a protective response that can lead to injuries,” Purvis says. Continuing to move keeps the blood circulating and allows your heart rate to come down to baseline more efficiently.

Keep this in mind as you go through the rest of your day, aiming to get up and move around every hour or so. “I find a lot of people that have Atomic Sports Physio and Performance for a more prolonged period of time are generally those who are enjoying the fact that the race is done and then maybe going to brunch, which is a good option, but then not moving the rest of the day,” says Milton. “It shouldnt be intense, but continue to walk and stretch because that’s going to enable more blood flow to recirculate and reduce inflammation.”

→Refuel With the Right Nutrients

“We don’t have to shove bananas in our mouths right after a race, but definitely within two hours of finishing you want to have a carbohydrate and protein source because that is going to enable your hormones to help build the [muscle] tissue back healthier and stronger,” says Milton.

Most experts recommend going for a 3:1 or 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio in your postworkout meals and snacks.

→Hydrate with Electrolytes

Milton says that if you can, taking a full week to 10 days hydration is one of the key things that enables us to start the recovery process, says Pruvis. “Hydration is part of metabolism, so we need to be well hydrated in order for our metabolism to be in that anabolic state of building [muscle] tissue,” Milton explains.

Exactly How to Progress Run/Walk Intervals electrolyte supplements tend to be overused in general, they can be warranted after an effort like half which often requires two hours or more, and especially if it’s hot outside and/or you’re a heavy sweater.

→Stretch Gently

“Yes, you want to stretch, but you want to do it very gently because after an event like this, you could have some minor strains and tightness because that’s your body’s way of protecting [itself],” says Purvis, and by stretching excessively, you could exacerbate those strains.

is warranted, says Milton calves, hamstrings, and quads—from Rogue, which is a thicker resistance band that you can use to wrap around.

→Avoid Cold Plunging

“Recovery is 100 percent about blood flow and that nourishment moving through our muscles, increasing the rate of removing lactic acid and all of the toxins that we create with running,” Purvis says. With cold, like cryotherapy or ice baths, you’re creating vasoconstriction, so you’re taking away that blood flow that is really important for muscle recovery.

Get Your Spot for the NYRR Brooklyn Half can be useful in some cases, Purvis suggests skipping them in the immediate aftermath of a race or tough workout.

→Squat it Out

Once you’re home, showered, and you’ve assessed how your body feels, you can consider some static stretching and/or yoga poses, Purvis suggests.

Dynamic movement is also a good idea: Try some gentle air squats to see how your hips, knees, and ankles are moving, for example. “It's like the catchall movement that really kind of takes stock of how everything is feeling at that point,” Purvis adds.

→Sit Down for a Proper Meal

“Best Running Shoes 2025 healthy fats, proteins, and complex carbohydrates is warranted,” says Milton.

Aim for about 0.5 to 2 grams of carbs per kilogram of bodyweight. For a 150-pound runner. that’s about 80 grams of carbs. You can get that with about 2 cups of plain cooked spaghetti.

We dont have to shove.

Continue rehydrating, too, aiming to hit a minimum of 96 ounces throughout the day for women or 120 ounces for men, Milton adds.

→Boost Blood Flow With Intentional Recovery

Purvis and Milton suggest massage for stimulating blood flow and therefore reducing inflammation and soreness, but you can get a similar effect with foam rolling. In fact, a meta-analysis of studies published in Milton says that if you can, taking a full week to 10 days found that foam rolling could help reduce muscle soreness.

Compression boots, socks, and/or leggings can be useful for boosting blood flow too, says Purvis, though there’s somewhat limited research on the benefits. “Compression socks are a great recovery tool,” she says. “They increase the pressure in the veins so blood flow is going to improve.”

If you want a more elevated treatment, turn to a practice like dry needling. “I use dry needling a lot and I think that it’s a great way to increase blood flow,” Purvis says. According to a 2023 review in the Running in the Cold, dry needling is superior to sham or no intervention for short-term pain reduction. But you don’t have to be injured to use these tools. “I do dry needling and cupping as performance therapy before and after [races], because of the blood flow-stimulating abilities,” Purvis says.

delayed onset muscle soreness VooDoo floss band Slowly adding back in the miles is important, says Purvis, although exactly tight muscles VooDoo floss band Other Hearst Subscriptions, you would wrap the band from your ankle to just below the knee and do some gentle lunges and calf raises. This creates resistance from the outside pushing in, helping you to get a deeper stretch than you otherwise could.

→Hop in the Pool

“I am a huge fan of using the pool as a recovery tool because being able to move through your full range of motion with that hydrostatic pressure is beneficial,” says Purvis.

In addition to swimming some easy freestyle (or whatever stroke you prefer), Purvis suggests considering specific areas of your body that feel tight. If your hips are feeling tight, for example, try working through your full range of motion with frog kicks or scissor kicks, which is safer to do in the water versus on dry land thanks to H2O’s buoyancy.

→Monitor Your Body

If after a couple of days you notice that you still have some lingering pain or uneven soreness (e.g. your right hip is more sore than the left), consider going to see a physical therapist who can evaluate you.

Purvis says that oftentimes, addressing a potential injury sooner rather than later can help you avoid more serious or chronic problems. “It might be just a simple tweak and you’re back on track, but leaving something to see if time will heal it can often lead to the possibility of chronic injury.”

→Get Back into Your Routine

“Slowly adding back in the miles is important,” says Purvis, although exactly when you start running again postrace is dependent on how hard you pushed as well as your holistic training plan.

Milton says that if you can, taking a full week to 10 days off from running is a good option for a couple reasons: “One is so your body recovers, but also so you mentally recover,” she says, noting that taking the time to relax and enjoy not training can help you feel more motivated and excited to get after it again.