Half marathon recovery
How to Recover After a Half Marathon (UK 2026)
What to do in the first hour, the first three days and the first two weeks after your race, so you bounce back feeling good and ready for what comes next.
TL;DR
- Most people feel close to normal within a week and are back to regular training in about two weeks.
- In the first hour, keep walking, get warm, sip fluids and eat something with carbs and protein.
- Days 1 to 3 are for walking, sleep, good food and gentle movement, not hard running.
- Try a short, easy run once you can walk downstairs without wincing, often around day 3 to 5.
- Pain in one spot on a bone, a swollen joint, or soreness that is getting worse after five days needs checking.
21.1km
The distance your legs just covered (13.1 miles)
2 to 5 days
How long normal muscle ache after exercise usually takes to ease
13 days
Old rule of thumb: about a day per mile before you race or train hard again
To recover after a half marathon, keep moving gently for the first hour, refuel with carbs, protein and fluids, then give yourself two or three days of walking, sleep and easy movement before you try a short, easy run. Most runners feel close to normal within a week and are back to their usual training in about two weeks, with hard sessions and racing saved until the end of week two.
If you have just finished an autumn half, well done. Recovery is where all that effort turns into fitness, and rushing it is how small niggles turn into weeks off. Here is a simple plan.
What should you do in the first hour after a half marathon?
The first hour is about keeping warm, keeping moving and getting something back in the tank.
- Keep walking for 10 to 15 minutes. Stopping dead can leave you light-headed, and gentle walking helps your legs settle.
- Get warm quickly. Put on dry layers and a hat, and use the foil blanket if you are given one. You cool down fast once you stop, especially on a chilly autumn morning.
- Drink steadily. Water or a sports drink is fine. Sip rather than gulp, and there is no need to force down huge amounts.
- Eat something within the hour. A banana, a recovery shake, a sandwich or whatever is in the goody bag. Carbohydrate refuels you and a little protein helps your muscles start to repair.
- Leave deep stretching for later. A few gentle moves can feel nice, but tired muscles are not ready to be pushed for flexibility.
If you feel dizzy, confused, sick or unwell after the finish, rather than just tired, go straight to the medical tent or ask a marshal for help.
How long does it take to recover from a half marathon?
It depends on your experience, how hard you raced and how well your training went. A first-timer who ran close to their limit will need longer than someone who runs a few halves a year. As a guide, most people have stiff, achy legs for two to four days, feel close to normal within a week and are ready for normal training after about two weeks.
There is an old running rule of thumb of one day per mile raced before your next hard session or race. For a half marathon, that is about 13 days. It does not mean 13 days on the sofa. It means easy running and gentle movement until your body is ready for more.
| When | Focus | What to do | What to skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| First hour | Warm, fed, moving | Walk 10 to 15 minutes, dry layers, fluids, a snack with carbs and protein | Sitting on cold ground, deep stretching |
| Race evening | Refuel and rest | A proper meal, regular fluids, an early night | A late, heavy night if you want good sleep |
| Days 1 to 3 | Gentle movement | Daily walks, easy cycling or swimming from day 2, light mobility, extra sleep | Running hard, heavy leg sessions |
| Days 4 to 7 | Ease back in | One to three short, easy runs of 20 to 30 minutes if your legs feel good, light strength work | Speed work, long runs, racing |
| Days 8 to 14 | Build back | Normal easy runs, a slightly longer weekend run, full strength sessions | Flat-out efforts or racing before about day 14 |
What should you do in the first 3 days?
The first three days are when your legs feel worst. Stairs, especially going down, can be a real struggle. This is delayed onset muscle soreness, often called DOMS, and it usually peaks a day or two after the race. For most people it eases within 2 to 5 days. Our guide to why your muscles get sore after exercise explains what is going on.
- Walk every day. A 20 to 30 minute walk gets blood moving and usually makes stiff legs feel better, not worse.
- Try easy cross-training from day 2. A gentle spin on a bike or an easy swim moves your legs without the impact of running.
- Do light mobility. Leg swings, hip circles and a few calf and thigh stretches, held for comfort, not pain.
- Sleep more than usual. A lot of repair happens while you sleep. More on that below.
- Look after your feet. NHS advice is not to burst a blister yourself. Cover it with a soft plaster or padded dressing, and ask a pharmacist if it looks infected.
Massage, foam rolling, compression socks and ice baths are popular, but the research behind them is mixed. Treat them as nice extras, not must-dos.
When can you run again after a half marathon?
Here is a simple test. If you can walk normally and go down a flight of stairs without wincing, you are probably ready for a short, easy run. For many people that is around day 3 to 5. If this was your first half marathon, waiting until the end of the first week is a sensible choice.
Keep that first run to 20 to 30 minutes, at a pace where you could chat in full sentences. If anything starts to hurt more as you go, stop and walk home. Our guide to recovery runs explains just how slow easy should feel. Here is a sample two weeks to follow.
| Day | Regular half marathon runner | First half marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Walks and rest | Walks and rest |
| Day 3 | Easy bike or swim, 30 minutes | Walk, 30 minutes |
| Day 4 | Easy run, 20 to 30 minutes | Easy bike or swim, 30 minutes |
| Day 5 | Rest or walk | Rest or walk |
| Day 6 | Easy run, 30 minutes | Easy run or run-walk, 20 minutes |
| Day 7 | Light strength, 20 minutes | Rest |
| Days 8 to 14 | Three or four easy runs, longest up to 60 minutes, plus one or two strength sessions | Two or three easy runs, longest up to 45 minutes, plus one light strength session |
| Day 15 onwards | Normal training, with faster sessions back in | Normal training if you feel good, adding one faster session at a time |
What soreness is normal, and what should you get checked?
Most post-race aches are part of normal recovery. This is a rough guide, not a diagnosis. If you are unsure, speak to your GP, a pharmacist or a physio.
Usually normal:
- Stiff, achy thighs, calves and glutes that feel worst on day 1 or 2 and a little better each day after
- General tiredness, heavy legs and a bigger appetite for a few days
- Blisters, chafing and the odd sore toenail
Worth getting checked:
- Pain in one specific spot on a bone, such as in your foot or shin, that hurts to press and gets worse when you walk or hop. This can be a sign of a stress fracture.
- A swollen joint, especially a knee or ankle, or pain that makes you limp
- Soreness that has not eased after about five days, or is getting worse
- Sharp pain at the back of your heel or under your foot that does not settle
Get urgent medical help (call 111, or 999 in an emergency) if you notice very dark or brown pee along with severe muscle pain or weakness, or if you feel confused, faint, keep being sick or have chest pain after the race.
What should you eat and how much should you sleep?
Food. For the next day or two, eat regular meals built around carbohydrate (rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, oats), a good portion of protein (eggs, fish, chicken, beans, tofu, Greek yoghurt) and plenty of fruit and veg. You do not need special supplements. You used a lot of energy, so feeling hungrier than usual for a couple of days is normal.
Drink. Keep sipping fluids through the day. NHS advice is to drink enough during the day that your pee is a pale colour. If you celebrate with a drink or two, enjoy it, but bear in mind that alcohol can make your sleep worse, and sleep is your best recovery tool.
Sleep. The NHS says adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. In the week after a half, aim for the top end of that range. Lots of runners sleep badly on race night thanks to adrenaline and sore legs, so a short nap the next afternoon is fine.
Should you do strength training or HIIT after a half marathon?
Yes, but not straight away. Light strength work, such as bodyweight squats, glute bridges, calf raises and planks, is fine from the end of the first week if your legs feel good. Keep it light and stop well before you feel tired. Heavy leg sessions and HIIT can wait until your second week, once the stiffness has gone.
This is where a hybrid plan helps. Running, strength and HIIT all lean on the same legs, so they work best when they are planned together. Edge puts them into one plan, so your recovery week and your next hard leg day do not end up fighting each other.
How do you plan your next goal after a half marathon?
Plenty of runners feel a dip after a big race. That is normal, and having a next step ready helps.
- Run for fun for a couple of weeks. Leave the watch at home, try a new route or run with friends.
- Pick a new goal by the end of week two. That could be a faster 5K or 10K over the winter, a spring half or your first marathon.
- Build a winter base. Steady easy running, one or two strength sessions a week and a bit of patience put you in a great place for spring.
- Thinking about a full marathon? Recovery after 26.2 miles takes longer. Our 30-day marathon recovery plan shows what that looks like, which is worth knowing before you sign up.
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This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.
