At the beginning of 2025, I set myself up for some big plans. I decided to commit to running two half marathons. I thought this was going to be great; I had months to train and would naturally work my way up to longer distances. When the time came to begin my training program, I was all in, running three days a week with functional strength training in between. Unfortunately, with work creeping up on me and the summer heat doing me no favours, I began to slip—nothing crazy, just skipping a day here and there.Â
Well, “here and there” quickly led to me driving up to the start of my first-ever half-marathon, bib in hand, with legs that hadn’t run in almost six weeks. To say I was underprepared is the understatement of the century. Looking back, it was borderline dangerous for me to attempt this. I had never run more than 12 km, so how was I to do the extra 9 km? Slowly.
I crossed that finish line with my knees seething, my hips clenching, and with my toe about ready to fall off. After receiving that medal and a slice of pizza in my hands, I knew that my actions in the next 24 hours were critical to my mobility abilities. Though I entered the race unprepared, I am a self-care girl at heart and had an arsenal of post-gym tricks to utilize. It was deploying these three tricks that got me back on my feet within 48 hours with minimal aches and pains.
Hydrotherapy is a Girl’s Best Friend
Water is my weapon of choice in the game of recovery. I always have my emotional support water bottle with me, but even that isn’t enough sometimes. I love to make use of water to help soothe my muscles. Hot tubs, showers, baths, pools, and cold plunges are all good for me. For my recovery period, I took a hot shower (as soon as possible) and followed up the next day with a bubble bath. Add-ins like epsom salts and bubble bars are always appreciated, too.
Lotions, Creams, and Balms—Oh My!
When I need to recover, hydration is key. The more I can get, the better! My go-to lotion is always a menthol-based one, as the heating and cooling properties do wonders for my aches. I also always make sure to have a thicker hydrating cream for parts of my legs that need a little extra TLC. It can be gross, but it’s realistic and necessary!
Walk it Off… Literally
As much as it burned, I knew that walking on my sore legs post-run would hurt less than walking on them post-run and bedridden. I gave myself plenty of time to lay in bed, of course, but I also made sure to continue moving. I was in no condition to lace up my running shoes again, but walking up and down the stairs, around the house, and bending down to grab things helped stretch my muscles. I also managed to sprinkle in some proper stretching—current me is beyond thankful for that.