If you want to experience something.

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
Emil Zatopek

I'm looking at a variety of information on post-marathon recovery plans. I feel great today, so I automatically want to go running. But I know I'm not allowed to. It's strange because a lot of the advice I'm finding online seems to assume that I'm sore. I'm not. I feel normal. Maybe underneath if I like massage the muscles deep enough I feel sore, but another day or two should be good.

Anyway, the best plan is from active.com. Here you can see their advice in terms of easing back in:

"Actively rest with lower impact activities like swimming, cycling and yoga for seven to ten days post-marathon. Give your body and mind a full week off the demands of running, and it will reward you with an efficient recovery. Running too much, too soon post-marathon is the quickest way to an injury.

Follow a reverse taper when returning to your running regimen. That is, start with a few 30- to 40-minute easy paced runs and test the waters. If things feel good, gradually increase the duration and frequency of the runs. Keep the running intensity easy for at least three weeks post-marathon. And most importantly--listen to your body. If there are lingering aches and pains, consider taking a few more active rest days and let things heal completely."

Most say to taper up again, so that's my plan. I did read one site that said you could go for a light jog on Thursday. I'm thinking I might do a couple of miles on Friday. There is a 4-miler on Sunday that I kind of want to run right by my house. If I go ease, don't push, I think I could be fine. Treat it like an easy run. Although, that's always hard. We'll see how Friday goes.

With my June/early July focus on strength training, I want to maintain 20-25 miles/week average still. That would be a 13-15 mile long run, plus maybe two 3-4 mile runs during the week. Or mix up the mid-week stuff with speed and hill workouts. I want to discuss this more with the personal trainer. I'm ademant upon the long-week runs, however, since I want to maintain my distance stamina for the half marathon in early September. Right now I'm looking at Virginia Beach, but if I can find something closer, I will. Simply because I'll have to travel for the fall marathons and it will cost a lot.

Anyway, I've been famished for the past two days. I'm eating every 3 hours. I get full quickly, but between meals I feel weak and exhausted. Right now I'm running on no sleep, since I couldn't sleep on the red eye flight last night. That isn't helping. But hunger-wise I'm still eating like I just ran a marathon. I need to slowly ease off, shift my nutrition around to meet my lesser energy expenditure. I'm also having cravings for tofu and bananas a lot lately. Protein and potassium? That's all I can think of. I got some organic, fresh-ground peanut butter to eat today and I'll pick up some bananas after work (they weren't ripe at WF). I really want to go swimming this week. I'm not sure that I'm allowed to though. :(