With the Honolulu Marathon just six days into the history books, it's too early for participants to dive back into hardcore training. But there are still a few things runners can do to get ready for next year.

The first is the easiest: Enjoy yourself.

"The marathon is a really tough activity, and it's important to do something to acknowledge and reward yourself for the training effort and the race," says veteran marathoner and coach Brian Clarke. "It could be as simple as having an extra dessert or staying up a little later than you would in training. It's important psychologically to do that rather than jump right back into training."

Next, recover.

Many beginning marathoners feel compelled to start training again lest they lose their fitness and momentum. But as Clarke notes, proper recovery is as important as any other aspect of good training. The traditional rule of thumb is one recovery day for every mile raced. That means almost a full month of recovery for finishers of a 26.2-mile marathon.

But there's no complete ban on exercise. Healthy recovery can include walking, light running, yoga, swimming or cycling.

Clarke, a self-described "incorrigible" runner, says he enjoys taking walks in the days immediately after a marathon. Like other light exercise, walking keeps muscles limber and promotes good circulation.

Clarke says the best guide to recovery is a runner's own body, and that the first question recovering marathoners need to ask themselves is, "Am I injured?"

Injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, even bones are not unusual during a marathon, even if they are not readily apparent after the race. In addition to refilling their glycogen levels and other energy stores, marathoners need to allow muscle fibers to repair and stressed musculoskeletal structures to recover before resuming normal training.

By today, marathoners who are not injured should already feel a significant reduction in muscle stiffness and soreness. Depending on how a recovering runner feels, the next two to three weeks could be spent with light running that slowly — slowly! — builds in time, distance or intensity.

Runners who intend to tackle the marathon again can use this recovery period to reflect on their marathon experience and formulate a plan for next year while their memories and insights are still fresh. As Clarke says, every race is a learning experience, and the knowledge gleaned, even from "bad" races, can be valuable when applied to future efforts.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.