The First 72 Hours After Ultra Trail Australia

The first 72 hours is the most important recovery window you can’t afford to waste!

You’ve finished UTA.

Whether it was the 22, 50, 100 or 100 mile, you’ve just put your body through one of the biggest physical stresses it will experience all year.

Now comes the part that most runners get wrong:

• Recovery.

What you do in the first 72 hours has a disproportionate impact on:

• how quickly you return to running

• your illness & injury risk

• how well your body adapts

• your performance in the next training block

This isn’t about hacks or magic tools.

It’s about getting the foundations right.

What’s Happening in Your Body Right Now

Immediately after an ultra, your body is in a state of:

• muscle damage and inflammation

• glycogen depletion

• fluid and electrolyte imbalance

• hormonal disruption (↑ cortisol, ↓ testosterone)

• nervous system fatigue

• gut irritation

Even though you might feel amazing emotionally, physiologically your body is in a high-stress, low-resource state.

The goal of the first 72 hours is simple:

• Shift the body from breakdown → repair

Priority 1: Refuel (Don’t Underestimate This)

Most runners finish an ultra in a massive energy deficit.

If you don’t correct this early, recovery slows significantly.

What to focus on:

• Carbohydrates (first 24 hours especially):

Restore glycogen stores → Aim: frequent intake rather than one big meal

• Protein (spread across the day):

Support muscle repair → Aim: ~20–30g every 3–4 hours

Simple rule:

• Eat early, eat often, don’t wait until you feel hungry

Practical approach (Up N Adam style):

First 6–12 hours:

• easy-to-digest foods

• smoothies, toast, rice, fruit

• don’t force heavy meals

Next 24–48 hours:

• return to normal eating

• increase total intake

• prioritise carbs + protein at every meal

Priority 2: Rehydrate (But Do It Smartly)

You’re likely dehydrated—even if you drank well during the race.

But the mistake is overcorrecting with plain water only.

What you need:

• fluids

• electrolytes (especially sodium)

Signs you're on track:

• urine becoming light in colour

• regular urination

• reduced headaches/fatigue

Priority 3: Sleep (Your #1 Recovery Tool)

If there was a “performance supplement” for recovery, it would be sleep.

After ultras, runners often experience:

• poor sleep

• restlessness

• elevated heart rate

• difficulty switching off

This is normal—your nervous system is still “on”.

What to do:

• prioritise early nights over social recovery

• short naps are useful (20–40 mins)

• keep caffeine low post-race

• don’t stress if night 1 is poor—night 2 and 3 matter more

Priority 4: Keep Moving (But Not Running)

Complete rest sounds logical—but it’s not optimal.

Light movement helps:

• circulation

• stiffness

• recovery of muscle function

What this looks like:

Day 1–2:

• walking

• gentle mobility

• no structured training

Day 2–3:

• longer walks

• light spin on bike if feeling good

Rule: movement should make you feel better, not worse the next day

What About Ice Baths, Compression, Massage?

These are useful—but secondary.

Cold Water Immersion (Ice Baths)

Some evidence suggests:

• reduced soreness

• improved perceived recovery

• possible sleep benefits

Best used if you tolerate it well—not essential

Massage / Foam Rolling

Can help with:

• soreness

• relaxation

But:

doesn’t speed tissue healing significantly

Compression Garments

May:

• reduce swelling

• improve comfort

Again:

helpful, not critical

The Biggest Mistakes in the First 72 Hours

We see this every year after UTA.

Mistake 1: “I feel good, I’ll go for a run”

You might feel okay by Day 2 or 3.

That doesn’t mean your body is ready.

Muscle, tendon and hormonal recovery lag behind how you feel.

Mistake 2: Under-eating

Common in:

• runners with GI issues

• runners trying to “clean up diet” post-race

This delays recovery significantly.

Mistake 3: Alcohol overload

A celebratory drink is fine.

But large amounts:

• impair muscle repair

• disrupt sleep

• worsen dehydration

Mistake 4: Ignoring gut symptoms

Persistent:

• nausea

• bloating

• diarrhoea

→ these need attention, not “push through”

A Simple 72-Hour Recovery Plan

Day 0 (Race Day)

• refuel immediately

• hydrate + electrolytes

• light walking only

• early sleep

Day 1

• eat regularly + continue hydration

• gentle walking

• short nap if needed

• mobility work

Day 2

• continue high food intake + tailor hydration to urine colour

• longer walk or light spin

• monitor soreness + fatigue

Day 3

• reassess readiness

• still no running (for most distances)

• continue movement + recovery habits

How Do You Know You’re Recovering Well?

Good signs:

• appetite returning

• sleep improving

• soreness decreasing

• energy stabilising

• mood lifting

Red flags:

• worsening fatigue

• poor sleep persisting

• loss of appetite

• ongoing GI symptoms

• sharp or localised pain

The Key Takeaway

The first 72 hours is not about doing more.

It’s about doing the right things consistently:

- Eat

- Hydrate

- Sleep

- Move (lightly)

Get this right, and everything that follows becomes easier.

Get it wrong, and you’ll feel it for weeks.

Up Next

In Blog 3 we’ll answer the question every runner asks:

• "When can I run again after UTA?”

We’ll break it down for:

• 22 km

• 50 km

• 100 km

• 100 mile

And show you exactly how to return safely without sabotaging your next block.

This is APA Sports Physiotherapist, Darren Glendenning, Sports Dietitian, Dr Rebecca Haslam & Coach, Adam Clarke, signing off for now!

You can book an appointment with Darren, Natalia or Newcastle Knights Physiotherapists Katie or Hayd'n at www.upnadamptphysio.com for any injuries or if you want to become better at what you do.

Bookings also available on our website for the following services at Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy:

• Aerobic Ceiling & VO2 Max testing - to discover more effective ways to train efficiently www.flowitri.com.au

• Strength & Conditioning Programs or Coaching - contact us or book via the website or email us at upnadamptphysio@gmail.com

• Remedial Massage - to relieve accumulative muscle tension & keep you training well.

• CycleFit by Physiotherapist Dean Waterman - At Up N Adam, for all your bike fitting solutions www.cyclefitphysio.com

• Dietitian - Sweat testing, weight-loss or to optimise your training nutrition / fuelling www.nutrientnation.com.au