After my first one, it was a couple weeks. These days, the next day usually. You may hear that you should rest a day for each mile you ran... so 26 days. This works, but it is very conservative. You may also hear "don't run while it hurts. Once it stops hurting, run." This can certainly work... and depending on what kind of soreness or pain you might be feeling, it is probably very wise.

I make sure I do SOMETHING the next day. While you are sore gentle movement helps work things out. I like stationary biking or swimming. The day per mile thing...I've heard dont run HARD again for 26 days, but not dont run at all. Except from my podiatrist who says no running for 2 weeks and then start again with 2-3 miles 3 times a week and you can add no more than 1 mile a week and then hold that for 4 weeks then add another mile. So in his math I could work up to what, a marathon a decade? If I am just sore I try to return to jogging (and yes I will say jogging) within a few days and aim for kind of a reverse taper. If something HURTS then....well usually I dont run for several weeks after a marathon because I usually end up with something hurting.

Planning to run the day after my race this Sun.... but I'll let you know on Mon morning!

Ok, think I'm going to bike ride (short and slow) tonight, then try to walk/jog tomorrow. My brain is just dying to go run! (Its the body that is screaming at me to stay on the couch) However, the more I move, the better I feel. p.s. Plus I'm at 197.9 for the month of Sept. Know how bad I want to fit in a 2.1 run? tonight?

A walk the next day. Generally, an easy week and then ramp the mileage up again. The week after the marathon I try to do about as much mileage as I did the week before the marathon. The week after that, 12 to 15 miles on the weekend, plus whatever I did during the week. After that, it depends on when the next race is.

Hey, how was it?! I'm hoping that I will be up to 1 short/easy run in the week after my race, too. I'd like to hit 30 miles for that week.