You just ran a marathon—congratulations! Now, what should you do with your time?

Training for a marathon demands so much time, physical effort, and emotional energy. Once the race is over, the medal is hung up, the celebrations are done, and you’re back to your daily routine, it can be tough to know what to do next. Many runners experience the “post-marathon blues” as they adjust to life without the constant focus of training.

It’s essential to let your body rest and recover, but how can you fill the extra time and stay motivated during recovery? Here are ten ideas to keep you positive and productive:

1. Send thank you cards: Write little notes to the friends and family who supported you during your training and on race day. It’s a meaningful way to show appreciation and everyone loves receiving mail.
2. Get your medal engraved: Celebrate your achievement by having your medal engraved or ordering a custom tab from MyTab.
3. Organize your race photos: Sort through your race-day photos and share your favourites on social media. It’s a great way to relive the moment and connect with others.
4. Purchase official race photos: Review the official race photos online and pick the ones you want to keep as lasting memories. Sometimes I order one or two, and sometimes I buy all of them, depending on whether I look like death or not! 😉
5. Purge your workout clothes – Go through your workout gear and donate or toss anything that’s old, stinky, ill-fitting, or falling apart. It’s time to refresh your wardrobe! I don’t know about you, but at the end of each season, I have so many old things that have seen better days.
6. Book a massage – Treat your tired muscles to a massage. Your body deserves some extra TLC after all that hard work. Just be careful not to book anything too aggressive as you don’t want to end up feeling sore.
7. Start a new workout journal – Buy a fresh journal and start dreaming up your next fitness goals. (This is my favourite activity)
8. Research new races – If you’re thinking of running again, start looking into races that excite and motivate you.
9. Pick up a new book – Enjoy some downtime by reading a book about something other than running—or, if you’re feeling inspired, dive into a running-focused read.
10. Reflect and plan ahead – Take some time to reflect on your marathon achievement, your training cycles and recovery, and begin mapping out your health and fitness goals for the next year.

What do you find helpful to do the week after your marathon? What have I missed that would be fun or feel purposeful?