You’ve crossed the finish line, collected your medal, and celebrated a goal that once demanded months of early mornings and long runs. Now comes the less glamorous part of the marathon : recovery.

You might be eager to get back on the road—or perfectly happy to take a break. Either way, the days and weeks after a marathon deserve as much thought as the training that got you to the starting line in the first place.

Here’s how to decide how long to rest , recognize when you’re ready to return, and ease back into training so you can build toward your next goal feeling strong.

How to Determine How Long to Rest After a Marathon

Exactly when you return to running after a marathon depends on how the race went, your overall effort during it, and how you feel. Some experts recommend one day of recovery time for every mile raced—so 26 days of rest for marathoners. And some even recommend one day of rest for each kilometer raced, which would mean 42 days of recovery .

Don’t panic, though!…