Each fall, marathons across the country bring months of training to a head. Runners uncork weeks of training to pursue their dreams; chasing PRs, Boston Qualifiers, or simply the satisfaction of covering such a vast distance.
We see the anticipation build throughout the fall; the news articles, shoe brand ads, and busy days in our run shop. Race day itself is electric- people love watching others test their limits and leave it all out there.
What most don’t see is the aftermath. Not the subsequent day or two where your friend is walking around a bit gingerly, but the weeks that follow.
If you trained well, the marathon has likely dominated your routine for months. Runs planned, meals adjusted, even vacations arranged around it. Yet as drawn out as the anticipation is, the aftermath arrives abruptly.
Many runners wake up Monday without their focal point.
Gone is a compelling reason to get up for that early morning run, or spend unreasonable amounts of time on a weekend long run. No longer are dinners or vacations planned with a single event in mind.
The result is a bizarre mix of relief, emptiness, and satisfaction
Relief because you’re free again; time to catch up with friends or revisit old hobbies.
Emptiness, because replacing a dream is hard. It’s one thing to fill time, another to find purpose.
If you’re among the post-marathon drifters, we see you.
Take a break! Hike, bike, or dig into trail running. Move your body without diving straight back into training.
Reflect on what the next step should be. What excites you to get out the door and start chasing again? Another marathon? A different distance? This might take time to become clear. No need to rush into a decision until you are ready.
More than anything, give yourself a pat on the back. Covering 26.2 miles is extraordinary. Whether the goal was met or not, the process of transforming your body and mind to take on that challenge is a triumph in itself.
Cheers to the fall marathon finishers. May your recovery be relaxing and your next goal find you when the time is right.
See you out on the trails!
John and Kate