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Recovery isn’t time away from training. It is training.
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Crossing a finish line is one of the best feelings in the world.
Whether it's your first 5K, a marathon you've trained months for, your fastest-ever 10K, or an iconic event like City2Surf, race day is the victory lap. It's when all those early alarms, weekend long runs and kilometres logged finally pay off.
But while runners spend weeks obsessing over training plans, pacing strategies, and race-day outfits, most give very little thought to what happens after they stop their sports watch.
As the Head of one of Sydney's most popular running communities, the Coogee Run Club, I've witnessed thousands of runners achieve incredible things – from their first-ever finish line to huge personal bests.
Yet one thing remains the same: what you do in the hours after a race can have a huge impact on how quickly your body recovers, how sore you'll feel over the following days, and how motivated you'll be to lace up again.
Recovery isn't the glamorous side of running, but if you want to bounce back faster, reduce your risk of injury and actually enjoy your next training block, it's just as important as the work that got you to the start line.
So before you head straight to the celebrations, here's exactly what you should be doing in the first 24 hours after crossing the finish line.
1. Keep moving after the finish line (even if all you want to do is sit down)
As soon as you stop your watch, your first instinct might be to find the nearest patch of grass and lie down.
Trust me, I've been there.
But before you park yourself in the recovery zone or head off for post-race celebrations, spend five to 10 minutes walking around instead.
It might feel like the last thing your legs want, but gentle movement helps bring your heart rate down gradually and keeps blood circulating through your muscles, which can reduce stiffness later in the day.
If you've raced a shorter distance, running coach Greta Truscott recommends an easy cool-down jog.
"At least 1-2 kilometres will help the body and muscles unwind and flush out waste products," she explains.
She also recommends gentle mobility and stretching, including knee hugs, hip flexor stretches and glute stretches, plus chest-opening movements to release tension through the torso and shoulders.
You don't need a 30-minute stretching routine. A few minutes of gentle movement while your muscles are still warm is more than enough.
2. Refuel before you celebrate
I know, I know.
The finish line village is buzzing, your mates are waiting, and all you want to do is sip something cold and enjoy the post-race celebrations.
But before you do, your body is crying out for something else.
Food.
When you race, your body burns through glycogen stores (the carbohydrate your muscles use for energy), loses fluid through sweat and creates tiny amounts of muscle damage that now need repairing.
The sooner you start replacing those energy stores, the sooner recovery begins.
The tricky part? Many runners don't actually feel hungry straight after a race.
Adrenaline has a funny way of masking your appetite, which means plenty of people accidentally go hours without eating when their body needs fuel the most.
Sports dietitian Zoe Vincent says this is one of the biggest mistakes she sees.
"Runners assume their body doesn't need food because they don't feel hungry," she says, "when really that's exactly when your muscles need fuel the most."
If the thought of a full meal makes you feel nauseous, don't force it. Start small with easy-to-digest options:
- A banana
- Chocolate milk
- Yoghurt with fruit
- A smoothie
- A couple of slices of toast with honey
"A protein shake could also be the ticket to drink in your calories if you're having trouble eating," suggests Greta.
The goal is to combine carbohydrates and protein to kickstart muscle repair and replenish energy stores.
"Hit that first hour with a 3-4:1 carb-to-protein ratio when your muscles are primed like a sponge to soak up glycogen and kickstart repair right when your body's most receptive to it," Zoe explains.
Then, once your appetite returns, enjoy a proper meal with quality protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.
"Think palm-sized lean protein, a fist of carbs and a good serve of colourful vegetables," she says. "That combination replenishes glycogen, kickstarts muscle repair and helps with the inflammation and fatigue you've just earned from pounding the pavement."
Personally, after a big race you'll usually find me ordering a burger and chips, which (thankfully) gets Greta's tick of approval.
"A burger and salty chips could be that deserved treat meal to get the refuelling going and juices flowing," she says.
Recovery food doesn't have to be perfect.
It just needs to help your body recover.
3. Rehydrate with more than water
One of the easiest recovery wins is also one of the most overlooked: hydration.
Whether you raced in Summer heat or a cool Winter morning, chances are you've lost more fluid than you realise.
But rehydrating isn't just about drinking litres of water.
When you sweat, you also lose electrolytes like sodium, which help your body retain fluid and function properly.
This means plain water alone isn't always enough – especially after longer races or when you've been sweating heavily.
An electrolyte drink alongside water can help your body rehydrate more effectively and replace what you've lost.
"On a warm day, you've lost sodium and electrolytes too, so plain water alone can actually dilute things further and delay proper rehydration," Zoe explains.
"The real test (for hydration) is pale straw-coloured urine, feeling normal, and if you sweat a lot, adding electrolytes to your recovery drink, not just more water."
Think of hydration as part of your recovery strategy, not something you only worry about during the race.
4. Lean into recovery tools
Scroll through social media after any big race and you'll see runners squeezing into ice baths, rolling every muscle imaginable and attacking their calves with massage guns.
So… does all of it actually work?
The short answer: yes – some of it.
"Studies show that cold-water immersion and massage have positive effects on reducing muscle stiffness and soreness," says physiotherapist and Coogee Run Club runner Andreas Hirczy, who recommends cold-water immersion within 30–60 minutes after a race.
That doesn't mean you need to buy every recovery gadget on the market.
The trick is choosing the right recovery tool for what your body needs. A foam roller or massage ball can help work through general tightness, a massage gun can target specific sore spots, and a warm magnesium salt bath can help you wind down when your legs feel heavy. None of them replace rest or sleep, but they can make those first 24 hours feel a lot more comfortable.
But one of the most effective recovery tools is also completely free:
Putting your feet up.
Greta recommends spending some time after a race lying down with your legs elevated and your eyes closed to give your body, and your mind, a chance to recover.
"You might have a headache from the high intensity and prolonged stimulation, so it's super important to switch off and rest the mind as well," she explains.
And if you can sneak in an afternoon nap, even better.
It might not be flashy, but sleep is where the real magic happens.
"A day nap feels so good and helps a lot," says Greta. "While an early night, deep sleep and sleep-in the following morning will help you feel much better."
The tools can help you feel more comfortable, but the real repair work happens when you give your body enough time overnight to replenish energy stores and recover from the stress you've placed on it.
It's one of the few recovery tools that costs nothing – and it's arguably the most powerful.
5. Don't let celebrations derail your recovery
Let's be honest: City2Surf isn't just the world's biggest fun run.
It's also the race with the biggest after party.
With Bondi buzzing with runners and supporters after the event, it's almost impossible not to get swept up in the atmosphere.
So, should you avoid alcohol completely after a race?
Not necessarily.
"One celebratory drink isn't going to undo months of training, but sequence it right," Zoe says.
"This means nail your carbs, protein and fluids first, then treat the drink as the bonus."
The important thing to remember is that alcohol can impact hydration and muscle repair, especially when your body is already under stress from racing.
Zoe recommends matching every drink with a big glass of water and making sure you've eaten before you start celebrating.
Andreas agrees.
"Make sure to refuel and hydrate well if you know you are going to have a big night ahead of you," he says.
The celebration isn't the problem. Skipping your recovery because you're swept up in the moment is.
6. Get moving again (gently!)
After a big race, it's tempting to spend the rest of the day horizontal.
And honestly, if you've just ticked off a marathon, I wouldn't blame you.
But while rest is important, staying completely still for the next 24 hours isn't necessarily the fastest path to recovery.
Gentle movement helps reduce stiffness and keeps blood flowing without placing extra stress on your body.
Think movement with zero expectations.
- Go for a short walk to grab a coffee
- Wander down to the beach
- Take the dog for a stroll
- Go for an easy swim
The keyword here is easy.
This is not the day to squeeze in a gym session because you're "feeling surprisingly good" or convince yourself that an interval session will "flush the legs out."
Your body has just done something hard.
Let it absorb the training.
7. Listen to your body
Feeling sore after a race is completely normal.
Heavy legs. Tight calves. Crawling down the stairs sideways the next morning.
Welcome to the club.
But there's a difference between normal muscle soreness and pain that shouldn't be ignored.
Sharp pain, significant swelling, dizziness that doesn't settle, or difficulty putting weight on one leg are all signs you should get checked.
"Heed the warning signs," Andreas says. "If something doesn't feel right, stop and make a decision about what to do next."
As runners, we're pretty good at convincing ourselves everything is "just a niggle".
But there is no medal for pretending an injury doesn't exist.
If something feels more serious than normal post-race soreness, getting advice early can save you months on the sidelines.
8. Don't rush back to running
Without fail, this is one of the biggest questions runners ask after a race:
"When can I run again?"
The answer? It depends.
If you jogged the event with friends and never really pushed your limits, you might be ready for an easy run within a few days.
But if you raced hard, chased down a PB or completed a marathon, your body will need longer.
Everyone recovers differently, which is why comparing yourself to the runner who was back on Strava the next morning isn't helpful.
Personally, I'd always rather take one extra recovery day than return too soon and spend the next month managing an injury.
Your fitness won't just disappear overnight. In fact, this is when your body is adapting to all the hard work you've put in.
Recovery isn't time away from training.
It is training.
"I think some runners don't take enough time off following a race and get back into training too quickly," Andreas says.
"Not only can this result in burnout, but it can also increase your risk of injury and illness."
He explains that you're also at risk of falling ill after a race.
"Immune function is suppressed for up to 72 hours following a marathon, so you are more susceptible to getting sick, and muscle fibre damage can last up to 2–3 weeks, particularly after a marathon."
When you do return, keep it ridiculously easy.
Forget pace. Forget splits. Forget proving anything.
The goal of your first run back isn't to show how fit you are.
It's simply to remind your body that running is fun.
9. Prepare yourself for the emotional drop
Most recovery advice focuses on sore muscles. But I think they're missing half the story.
Because for many runners, the hardest part of recovery isn't physical.
It's emotional, and the post-race blues are very real.
One minute, you're spending months working towards one goal, where every conversation is about pacing, race strategy and finish times, until you're standing on the start line surrounded by thousands of runners.
Then suddenly, it's Monday.
Your medal is sitting on the kitchen bench. Your race bib is in the bin. Your legs are sore.
And the thing you've spent a large chunk of a year preparing for is over.
I've seen this countless times within the Coogee Run Club community, and I've experienced the crash out myself.
People assume they're just tired, when really they're experiencing the emotional comedown that naturally follows after something they've worked incredibly hard for.
The adrenaline disappears. The routine changes. The goal is gone.
So if you're feeling a little flat after race day, don't rush to fill the void by immediately signing up for another event.
Instead, sit with the achievement.
- Look through your photos
- Read the messages from your family and friends
- Wear your medal to work
- Catch up with the people who were part of the journey
Celebrate the fact that you showed up and did something difficult.
Because running isn't only about chasing the next finish line.
Sometimes it's about appreciating the one you've just crossed.
Recovery is part of the race
As runners, we're always looking ahead to the next goal – the next training block, the next PB or the next finish line.
But running has taught me that what happens after a race matters just as much as the work that gets you there.
As the Head of the Coogee Run Club, I've had a front-row seat to thousands of runners chasing goals they once thought were out of reach.
They all deserve to celebrate, but they also need to give their bodies and minds time to recover.
So refuel. Hydrate. Move gently. Sleep well. Celebrate with your mates. And, most importantly, take a moment to be proud before jumping into what's next.
Because running isn't just about the kilometres you clock or the medals you collect. It's about building a lifestyle that lets you keep showing up.
Week after week. Race after race.
The best runners aren't the ones who push the hardest.
They're the ones who recover well enough to do it all again.
