Training Guide · RE:UP Altrincham
Sauna and Ice Bath During Marathon Training: How Often?
Training for the Manchester Marathon each April? Here's a week-by-week guide to when to build sauna and ice bath sessions into your week — and how membership compares to paying per visit.
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A Manchester Marathon training block typically runs 12 to 16 weeks, building from easy base mileage through to the long runs and heavier weeks that come before taper. Most training plans are detailed down to the mile — far fewer runners have a plan for how often to use a sauna, ice bath or compression boots along the way.
There's no single right answer, but most runners build it in gradually: occasional early on, weekly once the long runs extend, and lighter again through taper. Below is a simple week-by-week starting point.
Sauna, ice bath and Normatec compression under one roof in Altrincham.
Book a session — £20BUILT INTO THE WEEK
THE PLAN
Recovery sessions, week by week
Based on a typical 16-week Manchester Marathon training block. Every plan is different — use this as a starting point, not a fixed schedule.
Weeks 1–2
FortnightlyEasy base mileage, nothing heavy yet. Many runners start with an occasional visit to get into the habit before the busier months arrive.
Weeks 3–4
FortnightlyMileage ticks up gradually. Still no fixed slot for most runners — more of an "after a tougher run" habit than a weekly fixture.
Weeks 5–6
WeeklyThe long run starts to stretch past 90 minutes for most training plans. This is usually where a fixed weekly slot appears, often straight after the weekend long run.
Weeks 7–8
WeeklyMidweek mileage climbs alongside the long run. A consistent weekly slot — same day, same time — is easier to keep than booking around each week's plan.
Weeks 9–10
WeeklyTypically the first of the really long runs, two hours or more. Many runners keep the slot weekly but move it closer to the long run itself.
Weeks 11–12
Weekly, sometimes twiceThe heaviest block for most 16-week plans — back-to-back harder sessions and the longest runs of the cycle. Some runners add a second session around their hardest midweek run here.
Weeks 13–14
WeeklyMileage is still high but the hardest long runs are usually behind you by now. The weekly slot continues as training heads into taper.
Weeks 15–16, race week
Weekly, then one lighter sessionTaper — mileage drops sharply. Many runners keep one session a week through this block, more for the routine than the training load. In race week itself, one lighter session early on at most, then nothing the day before. For what to do once you cross the line, see our marathon recovery guide.
Heat, cold and Normatec compression in one 90-minute session, £20.
Book a session — £20Related guides
- Marathon Recovery: Race Day and Beyond
- The Recovery Routine Every Runner Needs
- Injury Assessment & Rehab
RE:UP Altrincham offers guided cold plunge ice baths at 4–7°C and Level 5 qualified sports massage. Book a recovery session from £20 →
QUESTIONS
Sauna and ice bath marathon training questions — answered
It usually builds alongside your mileage. Many runners start with an occasional visit in the early weeks of a block, then settle into a regular weekly slot once long runs and midweek mileage pick up, sometimes adding a second session in the heaviest weeks before taper.
Most runners time sessions around their toughest run of the week — the long run or the hardest interval session — rather than after every easy run, fitting it in as part of their normal weekly routine.
If you're planning weekly or more frequent visits through a 12 to 16 week block, Unlimited membership at £65/month usually works out cheaper than paying £20 per session from your second visit each week. There's no minimum term, so you can join for the block and cancel anytime before your next billing date once race day is done.
Most runners keep it light in race week — one session a few days out at most, and nothing the day before. For what to do in the days immediately after the race, see our marathon recovery guide.
90 minutes of sauna, cold plunge ice bath and Normatec compression boots, from £20 — the same facility whether you book a one-off session or use it weekly through a training block.
Clubs and training groups that want to book together on a regular basis can get in touch via Work With Us to discuss it.
MARATHON TRAINING IN ALTRINCHAM
Build recovery into your training block
Sauna, cold plunge and Normatec compression in one 90-minute session — book as you go, or join if you're visiting weekly through the block.
One session is £20. If you are coming more than once a month, a membership costs less per visit:
Essential
£50 /month
Four recovery sessions a month
£12.50 a visit
Unlimited
£65 /month
Unlimited sessions, up to two a day
About £7.50 a visit at twice a week
Unlimited Plus
£100 /month
Unlimited sessions plus a sports massage each month
Includes a £30 massage every month
20 Huxley Street, Broadheath, Altrincham, WA14 5EL · Open 7 days, 8am–9pm