Post Marathon Runners Blues: 7 Steps to Mental Recovery after a Race

Post marathon blues are a real thing. If you’re struggling after a big race whether the day when great or not as expected, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about what’s happening and how you can move forward.

You’ve spent months training, preparing, and goal-setting for the big day, marking off the days on your calendar and counting down to race day. Then the big day comes and you make it across the finish line—what a great feeling! And almost immediately you start thinking, “Now what?!”

After all the long runs, hard workouts, and anticipation, it’s no wonder many of us get the post-marathon blues after a big race.

It’s a phenomenon known as “situational depression,” where you start feeling some sadness and depressive symptoms due to an external stimulus; in this case, the fact that your race is over and your daily routine goes back to pre-training days.

First of all, know that you’re not alone. Even professional athletes get that feeling of post-marathon depression sometimes. I’ll share some of my tips for how you can mentally recover in the week after race day to help minimize this feeling.

Post-Marathon Blues: 7 Days of Mental Recovery after a Race

Now that your days don’t have the same focus it seems like you should feel relaxed and happy, right? You’ve suddenly got more time back in the day and yet…that’s not the feeling.

Let’s talk about what’s happening here.

Do People Get Depressed After a Marathon? What Causes Runners Blues?

Crossing the finish line on race day often brings about so many feelings. You may experience a combination of relief, joy, and a sense of, “What now?”

This experience is sometimes called an “emotional hangover”. Major events—like big vacations, weddings, and marathons—trigger a surge in adrenaline and other mood-boosting hormones. They intensify our emotions for a short period.

But then the event is over and we’re left to navigate the decline in our emotions. We go from this heightened state of stimulation back to our baseline, which can lead to a sense of emptiness, fatigue, or letdown. This is what we call the runner’s blues.

Why Do People Cry After a Marathon?

This is different than runners blues.

This is  a combination of doing something extremely taxing on the body and likely being low in hydration and fuel, which means your brain isn’t operating and full capacity.

In that moment we can be overcome with emotion for having completed something we thought impossible, for hitting a goal we have worked months and months to achieve or for not having the day that we’d so hoped.

I cry at every single finish line. It can’t be helped.

Plan for How To Get Over Post Race Blues

How do you beat the post-marathon blues?

First and foremost, make sure you know the difference between a temporary slump and genuine depression. If you find yourself struggling with deep-seated feelings of depression, don’t try to manage it on your own. Seek help from a mental health professional who can diagnose clinical depression.

But if you’re just feeling a bit down or sluggish, the key is to address the sudden drop in endorphins and adrenaline.

Try these tips each day for the week following your big race to help lift your spirits. From the silly to the completely necessary, you’ll feel better.

Day 1: Show Off That Bling

Wear your medal with pride!

That shiny badge of honor helps explain your shuffle, your limp, your huge smile or grimace (depending on how your race went). Wear it to brunch, wear it to dinner, wear it walking around the hotel for then ENTIRE day of the race or even the next morning.

You only get one chance to show off this particular bling, and I promise you won’t be the only one.

It doesn’t matter if it was your best day or worst, you crossed that finish line after months of hard work and it should be recognized.

Day 2: Drop Little Hints

Go ahead and drop your achievement into everyday conversations without shame.

Whether you’re at the store picking up some greens, and casually mention, “Gotta refuel after my marathon this weekend,” or you’re at the bank getting some cash and throw in, “I need this for new shoes after running a marathon,” don’t feel bad about sharing your accomplishment with pride.

It’s a great way to acknowledge your hard work and dedication.

Listen there are memes about this because it’s a right of passage!

Day 3: Social Media Blitz

Shamelessly flood your social media with photos and updates. Share your marathon journey on Facebook with pictures, and tweet about how sore your body feels.

You’ve earned those “OMG” reactions!

Don’t shy away from showing the real, raw side of your experience, even if it includes looking utterly exhausted, just like I did after the NYC marathon! This is what people are going to relate to more than the perfect finish line moment.

Training is hard.
Race day is hard.
Figuring out what we do next is hard!

Day 4: Do a Mental Recap

Take some time to reflect on your race.

This is something that we do with all of our 1:1 athletes to help process the day and prepare for whatever might be next, from a break in focused training to another race attempt.

Consider creating a list of things that went really well and things that you want to improve for next time

Even a race that went off the rails has some good points. Maybe your training was spot-on, but unexpected factors on race day, like nerves or tummy issues, impacted your performance.

If you learned something new about fueling or the right marathon gear, take note of those things.

Day 5: Take It Easy (Seriously!)

Resist the urge to run and go for a walk instead. Think about how you used to spend your time before marathon training took over your life. Focus on planning healthy meals, which is a great way to stay healthy and prevent any unwanted weight gain during this rest period.

It’s completely fine to take a break and go easy on yourself! But I’ve heard from too many of you that it makes you feel stressed out, so remember that your weight could go up after the race due to inflammation.

Here’s a complete post marathon recovery plan to help you know when to run again >>

Day 6: Hang with Your Run Buddies

Call a runner friend to meet for lunch or take a walk and talk about the race.

Your BRFF will love hearing the details and rehashing things with you. Runners give you complete freedom to talk about all the nitty gritty details of the race, whereas your non-runner loved one’s may not want to hear about it for the 800th time.

But you have every right to talk about it as much as you want for at least 26 days, right? One day for every mile you ran!

Day 7: Find Some Zen

Take a yoga class. Practicing yoga at home is great, but there’s something special about being in a studio, surrounded by calming energy, that really let’s your body relax

Learning how to slow down after marathon training is a good thing. It will help ensure you can begin running again soon without injury.

• Yoga is going to remind you to breathe
• It’s going to give you an opportunity to move without further damaging your muscles
• You can invite non-running friends to reconnect

If you’ve done all this and are still a little down, read more about curing an emotional hangover.

Post Race Recovery Keys

I’ve talked a lot about the complete recovery process you need to follow, so checkout the marathon recovery plan for specific tips.

But here are a few quick post-race recovery tips to keep in mind.

• Drink ALL the water. Hydration is key to helping your muscles recover, so bring your coveted Stanley cup wherever you go.
• Roll it out. No time for a massage? Enjoy the benefits of a foam roller or massage stick.
• Don’t forget about = compression tights or compression socks for the plane ride home from a destination race.

Allow Yourself to Move Within Reason

The big question is, how soon can you get moving again? ASAP, but with a few caveats.

In the days after the race, walk around to the extent that you can (barring any injuries). It will help flush our your muscles and keep you from feeling too stiff.

Keep your stretching light in those first few days so you don’t over strain your muscles. As the week progresses, if you have no injuries and your energy levels are back to normal-ish, it’s ok to do some LIGHT biking or elliptical.

In other words, move, but DO NOT TRAIN. Get a day by day break down in the marathon recovery plan.

Remember: Good Food, Good Mood

Food is an important part of race recovery, which is why I have all kinds of resources for the BEST recovery meals.

While you might have been dreaming of a thick crust pizza or a juicy burger for the entire last 6 miles of a marathon, the unfortunate truth is these foods won’t improve your recovery or mood.

So enjoy them for the day, but then starting thinking about foods that are going to help your muscles, ligaments and joints feel great.

Yes, the year Hurricane Sandy cancelled the NYC marathon, I went out for a long run and then ate my feelings…then I went back to my anti-inflammatory foods.

One meal won’t hurt! Enjoy these amazing out of the normal meals either after the race or the next day, but don’t make it a daily habit for the next week.

Studies have proven it really only takes a couple days of junk food to get your taste buds wanting it all the time, which leads to inflammation and all sorts of other problems.

“crappy food = crappy mood”

Since we are working to keep your mood high, let’s help it along with foods that make you feel like you are really treating your body right for the work it has done.

Big events from vacations to weddings to marathons cause a spike in adrenaline and other feel good hormones, heightening emotions, involving a few too many “unclean foods”, tons of time around others…then they end and we’re left to come down off the stimulation high.

After a weekend of feeling lit up like a Las Vegas casino, normal can feel like the power chord is unplugged.

Embrace The Journey

Remember that every runner’s journey is unique. The days following a marathon are as much a part of the experience as the race itself. Whether you’re sharing your triumph with strangers, analyzing your performance, or finding peace in yoga, each step is an important part of your journey as a runner.

It’s okay to take a step back, bask in the highs and learn from the lows. Have you ever had post race blues? How quickly do you sign up for your next race?

Other ways to connect with Amanda
Instagram Daily Fun: RunToTheFinish

Facebook Community Chatter: RunToTheFinish

Sign Up to Receive a Weekly Newsletter with Top Running Tips and Laughs