3 tips to bounce back from race disappointment

You’ve raced your spring season “A” race and fell short of the goals you set for yourself: now what?

Every runner experiences this. From frustration to heartbreak to wanting to give up altogether, it’s not uncommon to feel a range of emotions after putting yourself out there and not achieving what you set out to do. Whether it’s a BQ, a PB or simply executing new race tactics, the feeling of failing to achieve your goal can eat at you.

Elizabeth Clor, a Virginia-based running blogger, recreational marathoner and author of Boston Bound: A 7-Year Journey to Overcome Mental Barriers and Qualify for the Boston Marathon, is all too familiar with these type of setbacks. Clor went from a 4:46 marathon to a 3:15 over the course of a 20+ year running career and 34 completed marathons. She also regularly tests herself in other distances. 

 

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Clor recommends a few key tips for overcoming race disappointment.

Don’t waste energy stewing on the past

This one might be easier said than done, but ruminating on a poor race performance doesn’t do anything for you. Many runners go by the 24 or 48 our rule: you have that long to feel sad, but after that it’s time to move on. Mental energy spent feeling disappointed is energy taken away from moving forward and planning your next goal.

“Remember that not every race can be a PR,” says Clor, noting that it’s those few-and-far-between “breakthrough” efforts that bring far more joy than any poor race brings disappointment. Remember that this is a moment in time, but with determination and a smart approach, your next good race might be just around the corner.

Change the way you set goals

One way to combat disappointment from not meeting your race goals is to approach them differently.

In her book, Clor talks about how she used to be laser-focused on setting marathon PBs. She now recommends picking several goals for a single race, so you give yourself a better chance of meeting one or two.

“Have some goals that are not time-based, so even if you don’t get your goal time, there are other ways to gain satisfaction from your effort,” she recommends.

From nailing your fuelling to strategy to remaining positive when times get tough, there are so many smaller goals you can set within a race that will distract you from the pressure of meeting a specific time.

Re-evaluate your training and racing plan

If you didn’t meet your race goals, it could mean you need to approach your next one differently. This is a great time to look at how you trained, how you executed the race and what you could improve on. Make a list of what went well and what didn’t, and decide if you need to make any changes.

“I recommend giving yourself adequate recovery time,” Clor adds, noting that the downtime after a race is not the best time for drastic changes. “It can be tempting to resume things as soon as possible, but the body and mind need a break.”