How many days should you rest after a Half-Marathon?

Running a half marathon is a significant achievement that requires proper recovery to avoid overtraining and injury. The optimal rest period varies depending on several factors, including the intensity of your race, your fitness level, and how your body feels post-race. Here’s a guide to help you determine how many days to take off.

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How many days should you rest after a Half-Marathon?

Recovery guidelines

Half-Marathon recovery guildelines

Runners generally need to take between two to seven days off after a half marathon. Here’s a breakdown based on different scenarios:

Hard Effort: If you raced at a hard effort, aim for at least two to four days off to allow your muscles to recover.
Easy Pace: If the race was run at an easy pace as part of your training, you might only need one to two days off before resuming light activity.

Key factors influencing recovery time

Influencing factors of recovery

Several factors influence the number of days you should rest after a half marathon:

Race Effort: The intensity of your effort impacts recovery. Hard efforts require more rest, while easier efforts might allow quicker recovery.
Race Experience:Novice runners typically need more recovery time than experienced runners who are accustomed to long-distance running.
Race Time:Longer race durations generally require longer recovery periods. For times over two hours, consider taking up to a week off.
Injury Status:If you were managing an injury during training, it’s prudent to take a full week off to ensure proper healing.

The key factors influencing recovery time

Scoring system to determine recovery time

To help you calculate your optimal recovery time, use the following scoring system. Each factor is assigned points, and the total score will guide you on the number of days to take off. The minimum rest period is 2 days, and the maximum is 7 days.

Scoring factors

Scoring factors of recovery

Race Effort:
- Hard Effort (goal race or personal best attempt): +3 points
- Moderate Effort: +2 points
- Easy Pace (training run): +1 points
Race Experience:
- Novice Runner (first HM or limited experience): +2 points
- Intermediate Runner (regular long-distance training): +1 points
- Experienced Runner (frequent HM or longer races): +0 points
Race Time:
- More than 2 hours: +3 points
- 1.5 to 2 hours: +2 points
- Less than 1.5 hours: +1 points
Injury Status:
- Existing or recent injury: +3 points
- Minor aches or soreness: +2 points
- No injury: 0 points

Recovery time calculation

Recovery time associated

Add up your total score from the factors above and use the table below to determine your recommended recovery time:

2-3 points: 2 days off.
4-5 points: 3 days off.
6-7 points: 4 days off.
8-9 points: 5 days off.
10-11 points: 6 days off.
12+ points: 7 days off.

Example calculation

Recovery time associated

Scenario: You ran your half marathon at a moderate effort, are an intermediate runner, finished in 1 hour 45 minutes, and have no injuries:

Race Effort: Moderate Effort= +2 points
Race Experience: Intermediate Runner= +1 points
Race Time: 1.5 to 2 hours= +2 points
Injury Status: No injury= +0 points

Total Score: 2 + 1 + 2 + 0 = 5 points
Recommended Recovery Time: 3 days off

Using this scoring system, you can tailor your recovery period based on your race experience and physical condition. Always listen to your body and adjust your recovery if you feel unusually fatigued or sore, even if your score suggests a shorter rest period.

Conclusion

Proper recovery after a half marathon is crucial for maintaining your health and preparing for future races. While the exact number of rest days varies, using the guidelines above will help you determine the best approach based on your individual circumstances. Remember, listening to your body is the most important aspect of recovery.

References

Expandable References List

Dupuy, O., Douzi, W., Theurot, D., Bosquet, L., & Dugué, B. (2018). An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 403.https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00403
Wiewelhove, T., Schneider, C., Döweling, A., Hanakam, F., Rasche, C., Meyer, T., Kellmann, M., Pfeiffer, M., & Ferrauti, A. (2018). Effects of different recovery strategies following a half-marathon on fatigue markers in recreational runners. PLOS ONE, 13(11), e0207313.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207313
Korey Stringer Institute. (n.d.). Hydration. Retrieved from https://ksi.uconn.edu/ksi-sports-medical-information/heat-and-hydration /hydration/
Halson, S. L. 2014). Sleep in elite athletes and nutritional interventions to enhance sleep. Sports Medicine, 44(1), 13-23.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0147-0
Armstrong, S.A., Till, E. S., Maloney, S. R., & Harris, G.A. (2015). Compression Socks and Functional Recovery Following Marathon Running: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(2), 528-533.https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000649
Pearcey, G. E. P., Bradbury-Squires, D.J., Kawamoto, J.-E., Drinkwater, E. J., Behm, D. G., & Button, D.C. (2015). Foam Rolling for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness and Recovery of Dynamic Performance Measures. Journal of Athletic Training, 50(1), 5-13.https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-50.1.01