How to handle the post-race runner’s blues

The post-race blues is a term coined by runners to describe the feelings of sadness that sometimes follow your goal race. You’ve put weeks or months into your training and everything you’ve done has led up to this moment, and now it’s over. The come-down from the excitement and high of race day can leave you feeling depressed for days or even weeks, but if you’re prepared for it, you can side-step this unwanted side-effect of racing.

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Steps to mental recovery after a race

For the majority of runners, the following steps will be enough to help them avoid or work through the post-race blues. If you’re experiencing feelings of depression that you don’t think you can manage on your own, seek out help from a professional.

Be prepared

The first step to avoiding or managing the post-race blues is to be aware that it could happen so it doesn’t catch you by surprise. Understanding that it’s normal and usually temporary can help you work through it.

Have a post-race plan

In the days and weeks following your race, particularly if you’ve just finished a long race like a marathon, you’ll have a lot of free time on your hands. All those hours you spent training are suddenly free, and it can leave you feeling very lost. Come up with a plan before race day for what you’re going to do with those hours afterward. Try a yoga class, make dinner plans with friends, enjoy sleeping in — anything that will fill up your day and keep your mind busy.

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Embrace the down-time

During your training, you likely made a lot of sacrifices — said no to dinner invitations, skipped the late-night movie with your significant other or declined the invite to sub in for your friend’s soccer team. Now that your race is over, you can start saying yes to more invitations and spending time with family and friends, so be sure to take full advantage of your less strict schedule.

Take care of yourself

After your race you’re likely going to want to celebrate, maybe have a big juicy burger and a few celebratory drinks, and it’s absolutely OK to do that. In fact, you should celebrate your achievement in whichever way you see fit. Keep in mind, however, that the food you eat can have a direct impact on your mood. Once the post-race parties have died down, focus on eating a healthy diet to help your body recover and to improve your mental health. In the first few days and weeks after your race, don’t do anything too strenuous to allow your body to recover. Low-impact activities like short walks, gentle stretching or easy swimming and cycling are great options to keep you moving while still allowing your body to recover.