WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.
Nicola is delighted to be able to offer you 6 counselling sessions for the price of 5 if booked and paid for in advance. Please feel free to contact Nicola using the form if you would like more information.
Its now Sunday afternoon and all of those brave and inspirational souls and soles will have completed their challenge: to run a marathon.
The weather was so kind to you and hopefully all went to plan. You have your medal, your T-shirt, goody-bag, blisters, aching legs and so many memories.
This brief piece is a reminder of how to recover well from this physical ordeal, enabling you to get back into training, stay illness and injury free.
Nutrition: Eat more protein than carbohydrates for the next week. Protein assists in the healing of tissues, many of which have been fairly battered. Eat normally too, any sudden increase in fats now, as you slow your training could have an effect on your weight. Keep your fluid intake up, being careful not to hit the alcohol too heavily.
Body-Care: Over the next few days have a combination of warm and cold baths. The cold baths will assist in the healing of the tissues and the warm will soothe aching fibres. Having a few EPSOM SALT baths will greatly improve your muscle recovery this week. Soak your feet in Epsom Salt and ice any aching joints or muscles.
Treat yourself to a Sports Recovery Massage later this week or next to sort out any post run aches, strains or the inevitable stiffness.
For appointments this week please call the Chelsea Clinic on 020 7352 3087, or for Crouch End call me on 07932 393972.
You will be stiff on Monday, but probably stiffer on Tuesday. Walking down stairs will seem like an impossible task. KEEP MOVING, YOUR MUSCLES WANT TO MOVE. Lying on the sofa will not do. Many of you will be going back to work this week, Tube steps will never look so impossible. Enjoy them, you may look weird to others as you negotiate the giant 3 steps, but you will know why you are like this. You are a marathoner!!!
Introduce gentle STRETCHES later this week, especially to the Quadriceps, which will be the main culprits, stiffness wise.
Get moving as soon as possible: get onto an exercise bike either Tuesday or Wednesday for about 20 minutes. Walking will keep the muscles lubricated and only do any running towards the end of the week.
REMEMBER: YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WILL HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED BY RUNNING 26.2 MILES. YOU ARE THEREFORE AT RISK OF CATCHING INFECTIONS, COLDS ETC.
So increase any immune function supplements, juices, foods this week. If you want more information on this please email any of our nutrition therapists on www.chelseanaturalhealth.co.uk
What Next: You may experience Post Marathon Blues: a natural hiatus following such a long build up of training, culminating in the run. No matter how much they love you, even your partners, family and friends will be relieved its all over (for this year), as us runners can be a bit of a bore with marathon preparation, post marathon you will need to give them a break now. Attend to their needs; trust me, they’ll love you for it!
So to conclude: glory in your success. No matter how you feel you have done, you have completed something that very few people manage to do in their lifetimes. Give yourself permission to feel smug. Allow those weepy moments, when your emotions, for unknown reasons overwhelm you.
Well done you!!
If you need any advice about the marathon or need a post run massage please call reception on 020 7352 3087 to make an appointment for Wednesday and Saturday.
I can also be contacted on 07932 393972 for any advice.
Simon Heale has run 8 London Marathons, New York and Jo’burg as well as an ultra-marathon in 2008…..and has wept after each one!!!!
Sports and Remedial Massage Therapy
Sports Hypnotherapy
Cranio-Sacral Therapy
Performance Coach