Runners Blues: 7 Steps to Mental Recovery after a Race

We’ve spent months preparing and thinking of nothing but this finish line…it is any wonder that after all the build up we have runner blues?

As the finish line nears, every muscle in your body screams for it to be over as your brain races through all the calculations from “I can’t believe I did it” to “this was horrible“.

The time on the clock better or worse than expected will probably still result in a tearful finish!

Runners Blues: 7 Steps to Mental Recovery after a Race

What Causes Runners Blues?

Crossing the finish line is always a mixture of relief, joy and “well that’s done…now what?”

Maybe you’re looking for redemption or maybe a well-meaning loved one is proud of your accomplishment and immediate asks “what’s next?” because they know you always have another goal and with this achievement clearly you need to keep pushing.

What’s happening is known as an emotional hangover.

Big events from vacations to weddings to marathons cause a spike in adrenaline and other feel good hormones, heighten emotions, involve a few too many “unclean foods”, tons of time around others

…then they end and we’re left to come down off the stimulation high.

Runners Blues Comeback Plan

If you’ve hit that post marathon depression and aren’t quite sure what to do, we’ve got a plan for you.

First, 100% if you are feeling genuinely depressed don’t try to manage this on your own. Seek out help from an expert.

If you’re just feeling a little down, lethargic and like “ughhhh what’s going on?” It’s time to help fix that sudden drop in endorphins and adrenaline.

Day 1: Pride Point

Wear your medal with pride.

It helps explain your shuffle, your limp, your huge smile or grimace depending on the race. You were it to brunch, you wear it to dinner, you wear it walking around the hotel for then ENTIRE day of the race and even the next morning! I mean you only get one chance to show off this particular bling.

Day 2: Little Hints

Drop it in to a conversation with anyone –at the store, “yeah I need those greens to refuel from my marathon this weekend”.

At the bank, “oh I need this cash to buy some new shoes after the marathon this weekend”.

You may never see these folks again, so feel free to brag it up.

Day 3: Social media blitz

Now it’s time to post pictures on Facebook and make comments on twitter about that aching body.

Of course you’re looking for a little sympathy and “oh my goshes”, you deserve it! (even if you look like you might drop dead as I did post NYC)

Day 4: Mental Recap

Start reviewing the race and creating a list of things that went really well and things that you want to improve.

Even a race that went off the rails has some good points. Maybe your training was perfect, but something on race day took you by surprise (like nerves!) or you learned a lot about fueling or the right marathon gear, so you need to think through both sides.

Day 5: Go Easy

Talk yourself out of running and take a walk.

Figure out what you used to do with all this free time before you became a marathon runner… like planning out some healthy meals to keep you from packing on a few pounds while you take it easy.

It’s 100% acceptable to do that! But I’ve heard from too many of you that it makes you feel stressed out. So remember that your weight could go up after the race due to inflammation!

Day 6: Run Buddies

Call a runner friend to meet for lunch or a walk and talk about the race.

They’ll love hearing the details and rehashing things with you. Runners give you complete freedom to talk about all the nitty gritty of the race that your loved one’s may not want to hear for the 800th time

But you have every right to talk about it as much as you want for at least 26 days, right? A day per mile.

Day 7: Zen

Take a yoga class. An at home is not going to cut it, you need to be surrounded by that mellow energy and get in to the grove of letting your body relax.

Teaching yourself to slow down after marathon training is a good thing and will help ensure you can begin running again soon without injury.

If you’ve done all this and are still a little down, read more about curing an emotional hangover.

Post Race Recovery Keys

I’ve talked a ton about the complete recovery process you need to follow, so checkout the marathon recovery plan for specific tips. But a couple quickies:

• Tote that water bottle everywhere you go. Hydration is going to go a long ways to helping your muscles recover.
• Roll it out!! No time or funds for a massage? Then enjoy the benefits of a foam roller or massage stick (I like this one because it can travel with me).
• Compression. Pull on your compression tights to go for a walk around or pull on those compression socks to hit the plane for your ride home.

Allow Yourself to Move Within Reason

How soon can you get moving?? ASAP is the answer, but with some caveats!

In the days after the race walk around to the extent that you can {barring any injuries}, it will help to flush our your muscles and keep you from getting so stiff.

Keep your stretching light in those first few days as well, not wanting to over strain your muscles. As the week progresses if you have no injuries and your energy is level it’s ok to do some LIGHT biking or elliptical.

In other words, move DO NOT TRAIN. Get a day by day break down in the marathon recovery plan.

Remember Good Food Good Mood

Food is an important part of race recovery, which is why I’ve written all kinds of things about the BEST recovery meals.

While you might have been dreaming of ooey gooey thick crust pizza or a burger so thick you can barely wrap your mouth around it through the last 6 miles of a marathon, the unfortunate truth is they aren’t going to improve recovery or mood.

Yes, the year Hurricane Sandy cancelled the NYC marathon I went out for a long run and then ate my feelings…then I went back to my anti-inflammatory foods. One meal won’t hurt!Enjoy these amazing out of the normal meals either after the race or the next day, but not daily for the next week. Studies have proven it really only takes a couple days of junk food to get your taste buds wanting it all the time, which know leads to inflammation.

“crappy food = crappy mood”

Since we are working to keep your mood high, let’s help it along with foods that make you feel like you are really treating your body right for the work it has done.

Ever had post race blues?

How quickly do you sign up for your next race?

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