I read that some of the runners in the Boston Marathon went straight to blood centers to donate after learning about the bombs. My question: Is it safe to give up a pint of blood after an agonizing and grueling feat of physical endurance, like a marathon?
It’s not going to speed up your recovery, but as long as you stay hydrated it’s not going to be major factor. I might not have been able to do so, but a lot of runners are in much better shape when finishing a marathon than I was.
Giving blood is a fairly sedate act. You sit in a comfortable reclined chair while they put a tap in the keg. The main concern for doing it after a marathon would be, as said above, being hydrated enough to do it. Most places I’ve donated at, they gave us some fruit or snacks and something to drink afterwards, and had you wait a few minutes to make sure you weren’t about to pass out.