December 1, 2008 - (France) Crossing the La Rochelle finish line in 2:37:27, Anzhelika Averkova finished a valiant second. First place was a few minutes ahead in 2:34:48. Although the course if fairly flat, the route is filled with twists and turns that can slightly alter the runners’ rhythms.
Now that the marathon is over, most elite athletes continue with their intense training with minimal downtime. However for the rest of the runners, who are not professional athletes, taking a specific approach to recovery after 26.2 miles is essential.
With the typical routine following a big race is to take off completely, proper recovery is often neglected. Although continuing a regimented running schedule is not necessary, a certain amount of activity is highly beneficial. As the body is worn down and the muscles are fatigued, blood flow is needed for the body to be restored after the added pounding and stress.
To remain active after the marathon, a growing trend for recovery and injury prevention is nordic pole walking (NPW). As muscles are sore and the body is tired, walking with the poles allows for less effort with greater returns.
Using the poles takes stress off of the back, hip, and lower extremities. In comparison to basic walking, the heart rate is higher and almost double the calories are burned. This movement helps to loosen the muscles and reduce soreness.
With the completed marathon, in order to maintain the level of fitness that was gained, NPW can help restore the body and get runners back into their running routine with less stress.
To read more on the benefits of NPW, checkout www.gnpwalking.com and learn more about this great recovery exercise.
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