Running the Day After a 50km Ultramarathon: My Experience and Advice

Welcome back to my running diary—this entry comes after completing a 50km ultramarathon and, yes, running the very next day. If you’re an ultra runner or a committed streak runner like me, you’ve probably faced this not-so-simple dilemma: should you lace up again on day two?

Let me be clear from the outset: if you’re not protecting a running streak, don’t go for that next run! Honestly, it’s just not worth the risk. After an ultramarathon, your muscles, joints, and energy systems are heavily depleted, and the last thing you want is to push yourself into injury.

But if, like me, you’re on a running streak—where consistency is the aim—you might feel compelled to head out regardless. That’s when listening to your body becomes absolutely critical. My approach is simple: do the bare minimum your streak requires.

After yesterday’s ultra, which was 10 laps of 5k over 24 hours (broken into two 5k runs at a time and spaced every three hours), I managed nearly 36 hours of rest between finishing and today’s run. This gave my body a little more recovery than usual, which is the best you can hope for on a streak.

Today, I went out purposefully slow. My run was a gentle, off-road jog at about a 6:30/kilometre pace—much slower than usual. The goal: just get oxygenated blood flowing through tired muscles, speed up recovery, and not further damage anything. If you’re running slow but think you could go slower, do exactly that! Feeling like you’re barely moving is about right.

It’s tempting to keep pushing hard every day on a streak, but the real aim is longevity and sustainability—not constant self-punishment. Big effort days, like races, are occasional exceptions. The day after, and possibly several days after, should be devoted to recovery. Don’t forget to refuel, hydrate, and support your immune system, because these events really wring you out.

Let this serve as a reminder: protect your recovery, run incredibly slowly, and focus only on loosening up. Yesterday’s achievements are something to be proud of—today is for looking after your body so you can do it all again tomorrow.

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Stay positive, stay happy, and here’s to many more safe runs ahead!