Race Day Is Months Away — Your Recovery Plan Shouldn't Wait Until Spring
Photo: runner stretching legs after winter training run UK park morning, via c8.alamy.com
Every spring we see the same pattern at the studio. Runners who've been quietly building mileage since January roll in during April with calves like cricket balls, wondering why nobody told them recovery was part of training.
Here's the thing: if you've got a ballot place for the London Marathon, or you're eyeing the Great North Run in September, your recovery calendar starts now — in the cold, dark weeks when racing feels a long way off. Let's walk through the year.
October to November: Build the Base, Book the Habits
Autumn is when marathon training blocks kick off and local 10Ks and half marathons fill the club calendars. Mileage is still moderate, which makes this the perfect window to establish recovery routines before the load ramps up.
Book: One maintenance massage per month. Think of it as a service interval, not a repair job. A therapist gets to know how your body normally feels, which makes it far easier to spot when something's genuinely off later.
December to January: The Danger Zone
Festive chaos plus icy pavements equals the highest injury risk of the year. Runs get squeezed, surfaces get slippery, and people push through niggles because a big spring race is looming.
Book: A session in early January to reset after the festive disruption. If anything's been grumbling since autumn — a grumpy Achilles, a tight IT band — now is the time to address it, not in March when you're hitting 20-mile long runs.
Ease off: Cut back rather than cancel. Consistency through winter beats heroic sessions followed by six weeks on the injury bench.
February to April: Peak Training, Peak Maintenance
Long runs climb into double figures and recovery becomes non-negotiable. Your legs are accumulating fatigue faster than ever, and that's when small tightnesses turn into proper setbacks.
Book: Fortnightly sessions if you can — deep tissue or sports massage focused on calves, quads, glutes and hips. Communicate with your therapist about your training schedule; a lighter flush-out the week before a big long run, firmer work during recovery weeks.
Race week (hello, London Marathon): Keep it gentle. No aggressive deep work within five days of race day. You want legs that feel springy, not tender.
May to June: Recover, Then Reset
Post-marathon, your body needs genuine rest — but gentle massage in the week after the race speeds up the return to normal far better than total stillness. Think light, circulatory work, not elbows in the hamstrings.
Book: A recovery session around five to seven days post-race, then a proper assessment a few weeks later before rebuilding.
July to September: Half Marathon Season
The Great North Run and a whole summer of half marathons and 10Ks keep club runners busy. Training is shorter and sharper, so maintenance can drop back to monthly — but don't skip it entirely. Summer racing in heat adds its own strains.
Book: Monthly sessions timed after your harder training weeks, plus a pre-race loosener if you're chasing a PB.
The Year-Round Principle
Recovery isn't a reaction to injury — it's the other half of training. The runners who make start lines year after year are the ones who treat massage, rest and mobility as scheduled parts of the plan, not optional extras.
Wherever your race calendar takes you, build the recovery in from day one. Future you, standing pain-free at the start line, will be glad you did.
