Five Ways to Recover from the 2013 Chicago Marathon

You're chafed. You have blisters in places you didn't think could get them when you run. You're voraciously eating everything in sight. You need an extra five minutes to stand up and hobble to the door and you dread the stairs. Congratulations, you just ran a marathon!

Just like that, the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon has come and gone. The crisp bib you received less than 72 hours ago is a crumpled mess. The last finisher crossed the finish line while you were sleeping. And you can't use the I'm-training-for-a-marathon excuse when you have to bow out of Friday night social events. But before you completely put 2013's marathon to bed and get back to the daily grind, you hopefully took today off to recuperate. Here are our marathon recovery picks.

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Eat. Feast on a special post-marathon edition brunch at LuxBar. I'm getting hungry just looking at the menu with its salmon benedict, cinnamon pancakes, steel-cut oatmeal, granola yogurt parfait, and corned beef hash (which I probably only could convince myself to eat after finishing an endurance event). Usually only available on weekends, LuxBar must have realized that not everyone wants to go next door for a Walker Bros. apple pancake. Find it: 18 E. Bellevue, Chicago, beginning at 8 a.m.

Shop. The race tee that came in your event bag is nice (my personal favorite of recent years' designs), but it's not enough in terms of race memorabilia. How about something that shouts finisher? You can score the official Nike finisher's gear, and any 2013 Chicago Marathon tops and tees you didn't buy before the race. Find gear at Nike Chicago, Nike Running Bucktown, NTC Lincoln Park, Fleet Feet's three Chicago locations (Old Town, Lincoln Square and South Loop), Naperville Running Company, or online. Who wants a "Run Like El" shirt? Find it: Nike Chicago, 699 N. Michigan, where you can get your medal engraved for free with purchase

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Relax. Sore muscles? A marathon, either preparing for or recovering from, is my excuse to splurge on a massage. But the best is when there's a deal tacked onto that massage like the one The Spa @ Equinox has for marathon runners. Bring in your race bib between October 14 and 21 to receive 15 percent off any rejuvenating treatment plus complimentary all-day access to the club. It's tempting to wait until you're ready and able to exercise again, isn't it? Or book a treatment at the Chicago CryoSpa where you sit in a chamber that's so cold it shocks your outer layer of skin and in turn revs your metabolism and fuels the recovery process. Elites like Dathan Ritzenhein, who finished fifth yesterday, use it, so why not? Find it: Equinox, 900 N. Michigan, the Loop, Lincoln Park; Chicago CryoSpa, 2640 N. Lincoln

Celebrate. You already had your celebratory post-race meal, a food feast of epic proportions. But how about a post-marathon beer or two? The beer is flowing at Fleet Feet's Recovery Monday where you can toast your accomplishments, get your medal engraved, enjoy a light massage or some stretching, and shop for finisher's gear. And unlike previous years where Fleet Feet Old Town was the only FF location with the party, all three Fleet Feet locations have these post-race perks this year, which is bound to cut down on the lines I've witnessed. Find it: Fleet Feet locations in Old Town, Lincoln Square, and South Loop, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Plan. You don't have to be ready to run 26.2 miles again any time soon. Take me: I'm gearing up for the ski season. If you want to think running without actually doing any, buy a ticket for Fleet Feet's annual Fashion Show on Tuesday, October 29. If you're ready to get the blood flowing in the legs again, head over to Lincoln Park this weekend for the National Parkinson Foundation's Moving Day. Moving Day is the National Parkinson Foundation's annual fundraising walk/run event that is free to attend and also features a Movement Pavilion with yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates and dance. Find it: See and Be Seen Fashion Show, Second City's UP Comedy Club, 7:30 p.m. on October 29; Moving Day, Lincoln Park's Grove 2, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on October 20.

How are you recovering from running a marathon?