Happy Tuesday! It’s time for another edition of Tuesday Topics. This week you have a FREE topic! Please feel free to write about anything running related and remember to Link-up with Kim and Zenaida and the bottom of this post! Today I’m talking about the post-marathon blues. Although the word “marathon” is in the title, this could easily apply for any type of race – half marathon, 10K, ultra marathon, triathlon, etc.
It’s bound to happen – you train for months for a race, the race happens and then it’s all over. Without a place to put all that extra energy, it can be easy to get a little sad. I usually don’t have the post-marathon blues for that long, but it’s lingering a little longer for me this time, primarily because I wish I had a better race. Although I’m okay with the final result now, I think there will also be a voice in the back of my head that says “what if….”, but we can’t live in a world of “What Ifs”. These are some of the ways I’m getting over the post-marathon blues.
Focus on cross training
Sometimes the desire to run is pretty much non-existent after a marathon (I’m dealing with this now). Luckily there are tons of ways to still get in a workout that don’t include running. This is a perfect time to ramp up your cross training or strength training. Right now I’m really focusing on my Orangetheory Fitness classes to keep up my endurance, but spinning, boot camp, swimming, etc are all great ways to get in a sweaty workout!
Register for another race
This is probably the most common advice I have seen online when runners mention the post-marathon blues. If you’re training for another marathon, you don’t really have time to be sad, right? I don’t know if I could train for more than one marathon a year, but kudos to anyone that can!
Art & Crafts
Why not find a way to celebrate your achievement? You could make a scrapbook page with mementos from your race weekend – bib, train ticket, receipts, etc. I’ve also seen some amazing shadowbox medal displays as well. It’s a fun way to not only celebrate what you’ve done, but also display a really important achievement.
Try a new hobby
One thing that I hear all the time from runners is how they don’t have a lot of free time while training. Now that the training and the race are over, why not utilize all your new free time and take on a new hobby? I’m actually thinking about learning to knit since that’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while. It’s supposed to be super relaxing as well, so that’s a win-win in my book!
Volunteer
Remember all those awesome volunteers that gave you high fives and water on the course? Why not pay it forward and volunteer at a race? Or you can even take it one step further and volunteer in your community. For example, soup kitchens and food pantries are always looking for volunteers, especially around the holiday season, which is fast approaching!
Tell me: How do you deal with the post-marathon blues?
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Topic for next week – How do you budget for races? Feel free to write about any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!
I’m also linking up with Marc from Train With Marc and Debbie from Coach Debbie Runs for Coaches’ Corner!
Wendy says
There’s a whole feeling of being unleashed–no training plan to follow–and it’s a little unnerving! Especially after a disappointing race. You’ve got some good suggestions here! You could always sign up for another race, too…
kookyrunner says
My mom keeps telling me to try one more marathon but I’m just so over it at this point, lol.
Marcia says
I’m a little different I guess. I never got post-marathon blues. I welcome the change in focus and I’m just so darn happy to have the accomplishment under my belt. I do love focusing on things that went neglected during training. After London I’ve decluttered a lot…and I’ve been loving running my trails with zero pace or distance goals.
kookyrunner says
I think in the first 2 days after the marathon I’m also just so happy it’s over, lol. But then the wheels start turning in my head about how I have nothing to train for lol
Coco says
These are great ideas. I think it’s hard when you achieve something you’ve been working on for so long. You’ve had one focus and suddenly feel aimless. Finding a new goal is good, but after a marathon you need to remember your body needs a break.
kookyrunner says
Yup, that’s the biggest issue since marathon training typically takes at least 4 months. It’s kind of like “Now what?” I’ve been trying to fill my time with other things which has been a nice change of pace.
Laurie says
I think I am going to try your advice and volunteer for a race. Unfortunately, our running club’s one yearly race was on the same day as MCM this year, so I will have to find another race that needs my help.
Signing up for another race doesn’t necessarily mean another marathon. I am looking at a half marathon in Oregon right now. I might sign up today!
kookyrunner says
Volunteering for a race is always so much fun and rewarding. I wish I could do it more often!
i love that you’re already signing up for another race just one day after MCM!
Chocolaterunsjudy says
Really awesome suggestions, Kim! Knitting is super relaxing (once you learn how). My yoga student ran Chicago too; she’s loving her private yoga classes! And running yet either.
kookyrunner says
I’m hoping that once I learn how to knit that I’ll enjoy it!
Angie @ Bee Well says
Really good suggestions. I tried knitting but my OCD couldn’t take the mess I was making…lol. Good luck with it if you try it! 🙂
kookyrunner says
Oh no, I was hoping that knitting would be relaxing, lol.
Catrina says
Thank you for these suggestions! I like the one with a focus on crosstraining, as it helps the body to recover. Personally, I also like to sign up for other small and short races after a marathon, just for fun and not for time. That keeps me in a happy mood 🙂
kookyrunner says
I think signing up for shorter races is awesome too!
Montana @ Pretty Lil Mudder says
Signing up for another race is always a good idea for me. It doesn’t have to be another long distance run either- after both my marathons I took time to focus on speed and shorter distance racing…and managed to get some fantastic PR’s in the process! Guess all that endurance training paid off!
kookyrunner says
I think that’s a great idea to focus on shorter distances!
Vanessa Junkin says
I like your suggestions! I just ran the Marine Corps Marathon this past weekend, after 16 weeks of training. I didn’t come close to my goal time, but the conditions were pretty bad and I did what I could. I always have other races lined up, but I always take a week off running after a marathon, so I’m already feeling what it’s like to have some extra time back! I did enjoy putting all my feelings and experiences into a blog post.
kookyrunner says
Congratulations on running MCM! I’m sorry that the weather was less than ideal though 🙁
Michelle @ Running with Attitude says
Great suggestions! I have to admit that while I’ve really been enjoying not having to follow a training plan at the moment, I have been race shopping and planning for 2020. I’m still not sure when the next marathon will happen…maybe 2021…want to join me 😉
kookyrunner says
Marathons and I are not seeing eye to eye at the moment but I’m always down for a racecation for a half marathon! 🙂
Kimberly Hatting says
I’m not really sure what I’m feeling at the moment. It’s weird to think the MCM is done…I’d been looking forward to it for forever. The weather was such a buzzkill, but the race was still a fantastic experience (albeit a very wet one). I could teach you to knit!! I’ve been doing it most of my life 😉
kookyrunner says
See this is why we need to live closer – you would be an awesome knitting teacher!
Liz Dexter says
Great suggestions! I have shared this with a friend who has post-ultra blues at the moment.
I usually am keen to get our running again, however I had terrible trouble “processing” my ultra after having trained with it as the goal for so. long. So. blooming. long. I don’t think I really believe I did it now! Just my new acceptance of trail running to show for it …
kookyrunner says
It’s just so hard to put in training for months and then have so much down time!
Zenaida Arroyo says
Knitting sounds like fun! I learned to crochet when I was in grammar school but knitting looks so much more difficult to learn. 🙂 Good luck!
kookyrunner says
I’m hoping that maybe I can learn how to knit a scarf or hat, lol
Deborah @ Confessions of mother runner says
I always feel like that right after a big race or event. You pour so much time and energy into training and preparing and then it’s over. I am so not crafty but always love all those medal displays I see on Pinterest
kookyrunner says
I’m not crafty at all but I feel like I should try something new with my newly acquired down time lol
Rachel says
So admittedly I hated every single second of my race. Buuuuut, I also came down with the blues on Tuesday. Haha. It was months of training and then race weekend high and then BAM! Nothing…
I’m trying to take it easy on myself, though. It was a doozy of a race!
kookyrunner says
You should definitely be taking it easy after what you went through on Sunday!
Jenn says
These are great ways to kick the blue anytime a big event passes. I love focusing those sad feelings into something productive!
kookyrunner says
So true! Sometimes those feeling help fuel a fire to do something bigger and better.
Debbie @ Deb Runs says
I’m a bit different I guess because my husband and I always ran long on Saturdays (16 miles minimum) even when we weren’t training for a marathon so we always had our next week’s long run to look forward to. We had a group of runner friends we met each week and I called our Saturday morning runs “a party on the trail.” With that being said, you’ve listed some great ideas for filling the spare time after the race. I love the idea of making a shadow box or filling some scrapbook pages.
kookyrunner says
I love that idea of still running long on the weekends even if you’re not doing a race – a great way to stay ready in case you ever want to do a race last minute!
Sandra D Laflamme says
Registering for another race will always make you happy post marathon! Love the arts and crafts idea. I just hung up all of my medals with medal hangers.
kookyrunner says
Same here – I just use a normal medal display rack but I’d love to get more creative!
Debbie says
I can understand how runners can feel at a loss after their big race. After all the months of training it’s hard to just chill out and not train hard for a while. These days I kind of enjoy my downtime after a race though. 😉
kookyrunner says
I find that I enjoy the first day or two after a race but then I start getting restless, lol.