Now What? How to maintain your training coming down from a post-race high.

If you ever had the experience of competing in a race, you know the range of emotions that go with the race training cycle. Weeks and months of hard work, training miles, anticipation, fear and doubt. It is literally a time of a mental balancing act. Can I really do this? Can I trust my training? Can I trust my coach who says that “I’ve got this”?

Those feelings of trepidation dissipates with every foot strike, every swing of the arms, every mile marker. You approach the finish line knowing that you can do this. You have done it. And if you are super fortunate, you did it in a record time. You bask in the glow of achievement, finisher’s medals and excited post-race recaps and chatter. Your mind is already racing ahead to the next race.

In case you are uncertain, runner’s high is real. It is euphoric. Those good mood feelings can carry you through your upcoming days and weeks in some cases. It is a feeling you want to experience again and again.

So what do you do when the next race is months away? This is very real, particularly in a Covid-regulated environment, where protocols regarding health & safety change frequently. How do you stay motivated in the period of “post-race blues”?

1. Remember your why: If you signed up to be involved in a run group, it is less likely that you only joined for the purposes of competing in a race. Sure, you have persons who connect with a coach or group to be prepared to tackle a specific race distance. But it is more common to have persons start a run training program to improve overall health & fitness, increase endurance, and shed pounds. So in that moment of feeling lost after the excitement of your first race or major race, it is important to dial back and remember why you started. It allows you to regain focus and maintain consistency.
2. Suppress the urge to snooze: It is normal and recommended to take a few days to recover after the rigors of race day, particularly if you participated in a longer distanced race. However, if you have taken the requisite rest period and you feel that your body is in a position to resume training, get back on the wagon. Resist the urge to take skip training sessions in the time period after your race if you are feeling ready to resume. You want to be in a position where you are not skipping a beat post-race. You want the opportunity to work on some of things you learned during the course of your race experience. Do not allow the post race blues to keep you sidelined. Instead use the momentum from your runner’s high to propel you in a positive direction.
3. Set greater goals: View your race success as one rung in the ladder of your running career. It is one goal of many that you have left to accomplish. One excellent way not to get pulled down by the post race blues is to set a greater running goal for you to accomplish. If you recently completed a 5K, set a goal to train for 10K. If you recently completed a 10K, strive to train and compete in your first half marathon. Move the goal post and stay consistent.

Are you struggling with regaining momentum after a big race? Let us know how you overcame it in the comments.

Linda