It’s not uncommon to struggle after a race, if you find yourself wondering how you’ll beat post-race blues, then this article is for you. We spend many hours training and preparing for our race. As we train we feel many emotions. Excited, scared, nervous, self-doubt, and motivated to name a few. Then we finally get to race day! It’s the big peak of emotion! You’re there, you race, you do your best and you finish! Now we feel the emotions, so many more. You feel joyful, elated, and accomplished to name a few!
After a couple of days pass all these emotions die down. You are no longer training for a race. Now how are you feeling? Many of us start to feel down or sad. This is post-race depression (PRD) and it’s very real for many.
The first thing you can do to help cope with this is rest. You have put your mind and body through a lot during race season. Now is the time to rest and recover from all of that. If guilt about resting pops up, try to remember how important rest is for you as a person and as an athlete.
Spend this downtime catching up with missed loved ones. With all those hours spent training many athletes have to sacrifice family and friends time. Now is the perfect time to try and make up for that lost time.
You can start a project that you want to get done or complete any unfinished projects. Some projects get pushed aside due to time limits. Dive back into them.
You don’t have to stop exercising after your race is done. Your brain and body are used to exercising often, so continue to do so but with less volume and intensity. Do different types of exercises, like kayaking for example. Focus on doing something you don’t normally get to do, that you enjoy, and that will be easy on the body.
Avoid fatty foods and alcohol. They may make you feel better while consuming them but later can make your post-race blues feel even worse.
Sign up for another race! Having another race to look forward to while overcoming post-race blues can help you feel better and it gives you something to direct your energy towards. This gives you another goal to look forward to and focus on.
If you’re struggling with intense sadness or prolonged depression it is best to seek out professional help. There is nothing wrong with talking to a professional to help you get out of this slump.
Carly and Tyler Guggemos built Organic Coaching in 2014 with a simple philosophy that works. The idea is to take what you have and grow it to get faster, fitter and stronger. And to do it with the time you have – not the time you wish you had.
For athletes who are ready to take their training to the next level while still thriving and succeeding in their professional and family life.
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