Every marathon finish is something to be thankful for. But maybe you’re like me and have had a disappointing race or finish time. The fact is that if you run long enough you’re definitely going to have some races that are not wholly enjoyable and that are tough to process.
People are more likely to talk about feeling like a rock star crossing the finish line, having a sense of euphoria, having pride in their accomplishment, and feeling lots of positive emotions post race.
But those feelings are not always there and even if you do experience a post-race high those good sensations can start fading anywhere from a few hours to a few days post race. Having post race blues (from mild to severe) can happen after a disappointing race but also after an amazing experience where you conquered a new distance or got a personal best.
With most cases of post-race blues there’s usually physical and psychological reasons behind it. Common emotions may include a hollow feeling, a lack of purpose, coming down from a high, feeling low, grumpy, irritable, getting back to reality, a sadness, lack of motivation, crying, and possibly guilt. It can also be accompanied by physical sensations such as fatigue, listlessness, low energy, generalized achiness, desire to sleep more, overindulgence in food and/or alcohol, and avoidance of social situations and other activities.
If you’re dealing with any of these things or struggling to process a tough race here’s what I recommend:
1. Acknowledge all your thoughts and feelings (even if they seem irrational) without trying to put a positive spin on them right away. You will gain perspective with time.
2. Take plenty of time to recover physically through sleep, good nutrition, and avoid strenuous activities for a while. This is a good time to schedule a massage or other things that you find restorative. Don’t feel like you need to throw yourself back into training if you’re not ready. Do move your body and get out in nature (touch grass and get sunshine).
3. Talk about the experience honestly if you’re ready. Remember, you don’t owe anyone an explanation of your race experience or finish time. Tt can be helpful to break it down with people or a group that really gets it (warning, not everyone will). If the post-race blues linger more than 2 weeks or worsen please talk to a mental health professional.
4. Do some race diagnostics. Take time and write down what went well during your marathon. These are strengths that you can continue to build on. Next, write down any areas where you struggled no matter how small. Detailing the strengths and weaknesses (or yays/nays, pros/cons) can help put the experience into perspective.
This can also help you highlight goal areas to help guide your training the next time around. I wish I could say that once you dial things in that you’re set for life. But one of the challenges of long distance running is that there are so many factors at play. There’s the course, weather, time of day, other people, gear, how your body is feeling due to sleep, travel, hormones, nutrition, recovery, and more. This is all part of the glorious struggle of the marathon.
