Post-Race Blues

This is the final part of my guide in my three part series about the mental health around training and racing. It is all in the spirit of the SWAP approach of "No secrets!".

My 7-year-old feeling the blues.

The post-race blues always seem to catch us by surprise. Even the most seasoned runners…yep even the ones with those glossy highlight reels, endless PRs, and fun YouTube clips, have privately, and sometimes publicly (shout-out to those who bravely talk about it!), admitted to feeling an unexpected sense of emptiness after a race.

While race results can certainly contribute to this feeling, the post-race blues are not always tied to whether a specific goal was achieved. In fact, I have worked with runners who finally broke the 3-hour marathon barrier only to find themselves feeling profoundly sad afterward. I've seen the same thing happen when an athlete completes their first 100-mile race, finishes strong, and then, just a week later, struggles to find motivation for much of anything.

There are many pieces that come together to create this perfect storm of emotions. Sometimes the feeling lasts for a few weeks and for others, several months. The good news is that there are ways to climb out of that hole when it happens and, more importantly, strategies you can use to be proactive and reduce its impact in the future. I’ve outlined below all the guilty parties involved. It helps to understand the mechanisms at play because then we can get out ahead of it and, at the very least, have an understanding that the symptoms will pass. 

The Chemical Piece

When we train for a race, our brains and bodies get accustomed to a regular stream of rewarding experiences. There is the dopamine that comes from anticipation, progress, and working toward a meaningful goal. There are endorphins that can enhance mood and help us feel more resilient. Then, on race day, there is often an added surge of adrenaline that heightens the experience.

Over time, this creates a powerful pattern that we come to expect on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. Even when we don't experience a dramatic "runner's high" during training, there is still often a sense of accomplishment after a workout. Many runners also begin to notice positive changes that reinforce these efforts: clothes fit differently, energy levels improve, confidence grows, and time spent outdoors is boosting their overall well-being.  All of these experiences contribute to a sense of momentum and pride. 

Then, suddenly, the race is over.

The regular cycle of training, anticipation, and achievement comes to an abrupt halt. In many ways, this is exactly what should happen. After asking our bodies to perform at a high level, it is usually in our best interest to step back and prioritize recovery. We need time to heal and replenish. .

The challenge is that while our bodies are recovering, we are no longer receiving the same steady stream of chemical rewards that training provided. In fact, after the race, we are likely more depleted than we ever had been before in terms of fatigue from a physical and emotional perspective. We begin to exist in a “funk” and the one coping mechanism that helped us in the past (exercise)  with this state of being is off-the-table for the immediate future. 

The “Now What?” Piece

Training doesn't just provide us with physiological benefits. It also gives structure and order to our days. It is amazing how flexible our calendars suddenly become when we need to get our training in. We wake up earlier, sneak out of the office at lunch for a run, and push dinner back…all to earn that green check mark in TrainingPeaks.

Sometimes this juggling act is annoying, but deep down we also know there is something valuable about it. Training forces us to prioritize our health, create boundaries around our time, and make space for personal goals. Those are habits that often serve us well beyond race day.

When the race is over, however, old habits die hard. We can fall back into eating without the same level of intention or putting off a workout because it no longer feels consequential. Suddenly, we are left asking ourselves, "Now what?" Is my life just back to “normal”?

That loss of structure can leave us feeling empty and without a clear sense of purpose.

Sometimes, when the race is over, it can also feel like we have lost our community. Maybe we were part of a larger effort or an actual training group. At the very least, it was a way to bond with someone at a cocktail party: "Yo!! I'm also training for the NYC Marathon!"

Now that shared experience is gone. We may find ourselves wondering how to stay connected to the community- or whether we need to find a new one altogether. Humans are tribal by nature. We yearn for acceptance, connection, and belonging. When a race ends, it can sometimes feel as though a piece of that identity and connection disappears with it.

What Was it All For? Piece

I see these questions come up typically (although not always) after longer races- such as ultras, marathons and ironmans. The race is over, and those 10 hour training weeks are suddenly a thing of the past. We find ourselves asking, "Why did I even do that?" "Why did I put my family through this?" "What was it all for?"

These questions are completely normal. However, when we lose sight of the purpose behind the challenge, while also navigating the physical depletion, loss of structure, and emotional letdown we discussed earlier, the experience can begin to feel surprisingly heavy. Some athletes even describe it as feeling similar to clinical depression.

In these moments, our focus tends to narrow. We start looking at what training took away rather than what it gave us. We remember the missed social events, we focus-in on our neglected lawn care, and the sacrifices our families made to support us. 

So what do we do about this?

There are a few approaches to managing the post-race blues that I encourage athletes to remember.

First, recognize that this is often a temporary state. Your body and mind will recalibrate, and over the course of days or weeks, you will likely begin to feel more like yourself again. However, if the feelings persist or seem unusually intense, it may be worth checking in with your doctor. Sometimes prolonged fatigue, low mood, or a lack of motivation can be influenced by nutritional deficiencies or other physical factors that deserve attention. More often than not however, it is a feeling that will pass on its own. The best thing for you to do in these moments is eat well, eat often and prioritize sleep.

The next piece of advice is a proactive one. Before you even begin training for a race, define what success will look like. This can absolutely include a time goal, a podium finish, or a specific distance. But it must also include something deeper- something that will still hold value after the race is over- independent on the physical performance.

The reason this matters is that race results eventually fade into the archives of ultra sign-up. Whether you hit your goal or miss it, the emotional impact will not last forever. What tends to endure are the lessons, values, and personal growth that came from the process itself. 

For example, if you decide to train for an Ironman, your definition of success might be, "If I go through this training, I will show my kids what it looks like to develop discipline and do something hard." Or perhaps, "I will give myself permission to carve out time for myself each day and prioritize my own well-being." If you are one of my elite athletes, ask how this race fits into your love for the sport and what can we extrapolate from the experience to make you more successful in future endeavors. 

When success is tied only to an outcome, it disappears the moment the race is over. When success is connected to who you became during the process, it is something you get to keep long after you cross the finish line.

REMEMBER- Typically, post-race blues are not a sign that something is wrong. More often, they are a sign that what you did mattered. The race, the training, the sacrifices, and the growth all left an impact.

Now, you are entering the next chapter.

Transitions are rarely comfortable, but that discomfort does not mean you are moving in the wrong direction. The goal is not to stay attached to the race forever. The goal is to carry what you learned, who you became, and the growth you experienced into whatever comes next.