Here is a list of Post-Race Recovery Tips you should try to incorporate into your post race recovery strategy: 

• Walk around. Avoid sitting down immediately after the race.  Keep the blood flowing for 10-15 minutes.  Top it off with a short session later in the afternoon on your bike trainer if you’ve got one or take a nice slow walk. 
• Eat.  Remember you have a 15-20 minute window post race to boost your recovery.  Our trips to Green Bean and Timmy’s weren’t always just about socializing!  Grab water and a balanced snack –  carbs, protein and some fat.  This post race recovery week help boost your immune and repair systems by focusing on healthy foods.  You want a variety of nutrients so eat a variety of healthy food to give your body the material it needs to repair and rebuild itself.  Recovery is about repairing microscopic muscle tears and pulls.  But to do so effectively it needs the right fuel and nutrients to optimize the amount of recovery you can accomplish.  Lots of bright colourful fruits and veggies, whole grains from oatmeal and some quality protein and fats. 
• Sleep and Rest.  Observe a few days of rest.  And if you check out Barrie’s program he has a very light post race week.  Sleep is the ultimate recovery tool  Getting enough sleep every night is a good idea but it’s especially important post run.  While you sleep your body restores itself and performs vital actions that don’t happen when you are awake, so don’t skip sleep.  That meants going to bed early enough to sleep until you are ready to get up as opposed to getting up with the alarm says so.
•  Recover.  There is nothing better for sore muscles than a professional massage.  It feels great and not only is it a bit of a personal indulgence it actually helps speed recovery.  Beer is a close second!  Massage provides tons of recovery benefits; increasing blood flow to your muscles giving them fresh oxygen and flushing out any by product of exercise.  It will relieve muscle cramps and spasms not to mention stress and tension you may have been carrying around.  Massage is also good for treating any nagging injuries as it reduces the build-up of scar tissue inside your body.  If a massage is off your list try some soothing gels and creams.  You can get some pain relieving gel and rub that into your legs which should provide a nice warm or tingling sensation.  Cold baths and icing are also options.  And while it may sound dorky I also find lying on your back with your legs elevated against a wall helps circulation as well.  They way I figure it try it and if it works stick with it.  If it doesn’t do anything for you drop it.
• Experiment.  Try yoga, swimming or something completely different to avoid injury and running burnout.  You may find if you just hit the running shoes again too quickly you not only are prone to injury and burn out but may just be putting in a “junk” run if you haven’t recovered.  Now may be a good time to focus on your flexibility.  Enhanced flexibility means less pain.  Just 2 or 3 twenty minute stretching sessions can really help your running.  Even if you do yoga or stretching regularly focus on them more during this recovery period so that your body stays loose and supple. 
• Relaxation.  Extra sleep, massages, yoga and calming green tea only go so far – if your recovery is full of stress its not a recovery week.  Remember your immune system after a run like ATB is weakened.  Add additional stress to that and I guarantee you’ll end up with a nagging spring cold!  Relax your mind by taking a mental break from running.  Try a book.  It could be anything that interests you, just NOT something about setting up a training plan or interval workout. 
• Hydrate.  This is free and easy.  Keep yourself hydrated.  A properly hydrated body is better able to perform all the tasks necessary to help you recover, as well as flush out any build-up of toxins from intense running. 
• Post Race Blues.  Its natural and the consequence of a huge dip in endorphins from the time you complete your ace and a few hours after.   Which is why trying something new or something you haven’t done is a good idea…it gets the mind and body firing in different ways…key to your and psychological and emotional health.
• Reflect.  Reflect on what went well on race day and with your training. Look also at what didn’t work and what you could have improved on for your next race. Each race should be a learning experience, positive or negative.
• And of course CELEBRATE!