Marathon complete - high for the day. Next day it’s like boom - hit rock bottom! Can’t get out of that trough. Feel disappointed with my time and was contemplating doing Manchester to improve but I’m not sure I can go through that again. Plus if the hormones fall wrong on marathon day again and my legs don’t work again, I think I’d cry!
Spent a day in bed yesterday - think it all caught up with me.
Off to club tonight for the first time in a month - hopefully running with my crazy club will help.
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Tasha99
Marathon
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I know how you feel!!! I only worked to HM distance just for me, no race but I’ve not picked up since. Barely ran in the last 10 weeks, and can’t seem to motivate and then hip was playing up since I was doing the longer runs ( had X-ray this morning as it’s been over 2 months now☹️) and now got nasty chest infection and can hardly take a breath so still no running.
I’m going to wait till I get results from X-ray then, if nothing drastic, I’ll commit myself to a 10k race early next year and set my self a goal to work towards.
So annoying - when I was on the IC last year I was desperate to run again and now I can’t find my mojo.
Hope you gets yours back soon and I’m sure your time was fine. We just all like to over analyse after the event
Thank you. I think we’re so hard on ourselves. I’m scared I’ll quit running but I won’t let myself. Good luck with your health. I hope you’re off the IC soon.
Oh Tasha! I do feel for you ☹️ I didn't even get any kind of high on the day to be honest. I had to do so much walking that I don't really feel like I've even completed a marathon.
Personally I'm just going to put it behind me and move on. I'm pretty hard on myself anyway and generally feel like this after every race I do no matter the distance!
It's easy to look back with hindsight and start to feel you could have done better but at the time I'm not sure I could have given anymore - with about 4 miles to go I wanted to lay on the floor and cry 😭 You gave it your best shot and you did complete it. It's not something just anyone can do - it takes a lot of training and dedication no matter the completion time.
I'm sure going to your club will cheer you up - they sound like a really great bunch xx
Oh marie! So sorry you feel like that but you definitely did complete a marathon but I know exactly what you mean! I think it’s 4-5 months of build up and then we’re thrown into nothingness. Would you do another?
It took me about 2 weeks to stop feeling flat Tash and then only properly after signing up for Brighton.
It is such an anticlimax and exhaustion on top as well as pesky hormones! Fingers crossed your club run cheers you up a bit. Have a look for a fun 10k maybe.... you could do another marathon if you wanted or you can just enjoy running for the joy of running once you find it again.
You did a great time but I totally understand not being happy with your time as I wasn't with mine either. But now I just remember I ran an actual marathon. (And apparently will do again. 🙈) xx
I’ve got quite a few races booked in between now and January, one of them a really brutal trail half marathon which I’m not sure I can bring myself to do, but we’ll see. If I fancy Manchester after Xmas I’ll book it late, no rush.
I have two medals, one from a world-wide recognised authority, the other "only' National. I've been to something like forty different countries. I've been imprisoned by Communists, hobnobbed with a First Lady, been shot, stabbed, hit and otherwise abused, assaulted and messed up by a number of villians - and went back for more...
But I still cannot run/walk 26.2 miles.
There are different kinds of "Tough". You are one tough lady T, wear it cos you earned it.
As someone who can't even contemplate running or run/walking a flat marathon, I struggle to understand how anyone can feel disappointed having completed their first ever marathon event. It's such a major achievement.
However, after my experience at GSR last year I do totally understand how awful that disatisfied feeling feels. So sending hugs to banish those blues, along with a very strong reminder that you have achieved something awesome that so few people can achieve and nothing will ever take that away 😘
Thanks Linda. I think we spend, no devote, 4-5 months of our lives focusing on defeating the monster that is a marathon, that when we stop it’s a sudden void and that with exhaustion equates to blues. I’m sure I’ll be fine soon. Talking to others, it’s very common.
Mentally I felt absolutely knackered after my solo HM. Physically I was fine. I ended up eating a shed load of protein, and ran pretty well, but it was only after ten days or so that I started to pick up. You ran twice as far in tough conditions; give yourself a break ..when you said club night I had visions of loud music and booze!! sure your pals will cheer you up.
Thank you - club is the best medicine for me. I think it’s an accumulation of sudden nothing after 4-5 months focus, and complete exhaustion 🤣 Feeling better a little now.
Sorry to hear you are feeling blue Tasha - I am not surprised though, as I have felt really down the last couple of weeks. I don’t think it was just the marathon, but a combination of things all at the same time. It was nice for me to get back to a club session this week too, so hoping things improve now xx
Yeah it’s a combination of things for me too. I was hoping things would improve after the marathon but they got worse. Hopefully temporarily. Good luck to you and hope you feel better soon 👍🏽
I can’t help as I’ve never done a marathon, and never intend to. But I should imagine it’s both mentally and physically exhausting with the training and build up as well as the event itself. You have done something truly amazing and I’m very impressed. Don’t even think about the time - you ran a marathon. 🏃♀️👏👏♥️
A few experienced friends warned me about this effect. Just so much focused training to one single end and then you are cut free. To offset this I booked a trail race in November, since I genuinely love the trail runs and don't take them seriously for time, so there is much less pressure and becomes something to look forward to. I'm not sure I could handle another road race this year. I've tried to go back to my running schedule mid plan, just to tell my legs that it is business as usual. I really hope running with your club mates helps. Even on days when I don't want to be there, my club mates usually get me smiling by the end and enjoying the runs again.
Yeah club definitely helped although I was back of the pack and had to walk a few times - obviously not recovered yet! I’ve got a few races booked in between now and January - also mostly trail since I’ve been avoiding that lately to avoid injury. I’m sire we’ll readjust in a week or so. I’m glad I’ve posted this question as it does seem to be a common occurrence! Hope you’re ok too 👍🏽
Really happy you got back out Tasha even if you had to ease up at times. Good luck with your recovery too. I think I am mostly recovered, but I am trying to pay close attention to any unusual pains or strains - pushed a bit harder today so going to fully rest tomorrow. I agree, this is a good question and it is great we are all talking about it.
I know how you feel. I only did a half, but I’m still recovering. I had no high whatsoever on the day. I was bitterly disappointed with my time, but my knee packed up and I think I had been under the weather for at least a couple of weeks before the race, with resting hr up from high 40s/low 50s to up in the 80s and 90s (still is). I did gain some satisfaction at having done the distance, but not till a couple of days later. I was exhausted, ill and my knee was swollen so I didn’t run for a week. I’ve not run much since and am tired when I do. Loads of people have said these distance runs depress your immune system and fatigue you. I think that has to affect state of mind. I guess we need to be patient and give ourselves time to recover physically, emotionally and mentally. Xx
Yes we definitely need to be more patient! My resting heart rate was also up to low 50s from low 40s so I knew it wasn’t going to go well. I shouldn’t look at RHR really as psychologically I’d written it off before I’d started 😝
Edit - just read your RHR increase! That’s huge! You must need some down time. Mine isn’t back to normal yet. I reached 33 once 😳🤣
It's definitely a thing, I crashed pretty badly after the first one and really within 12 hours I was berating myself for being way too slow. You might be pleased to learn it was much less each time thereafter. 👍🏻🤣😉
I found just getting back to basics, enjoying the surroundings, singing along to my music etc, looking for the fun brought me back.
We're way too hard on ourselves. We'd never be that hard on a friend.
I’m sorry you’ve got the post marathon blues. It does seem that when we work so hard and look forward so much for something that there is a letdown, I’m sure that when you have recovered from the mental and physical exhaustion you’ll be pumped to run again. You really have accomplished something that a very small percentage of the population has done!
I can kind of relate but on a smaller scale. I’ve been struggling to make myself run since my half marathon. I’m not sure if it’s from that or seasonal blues. A 5k trail race on Saturday perked me up a bit temporarily. Today, I pushed myself out the door for a short run.
Thanks for your kind reply. Hopefully things are back on the up now. Back to enjoying running for running’s sake soon and enjoying things like parkrun again. Just waiting for the legs to recover. Hope you find some motivation soon too. Maybe try a club? Can you parkrun?
Just this morning this came into my mail box. realbuzz.com/articles-inter... Not sure if it will help you, but it might! I'm just in awe at your achievement...hope you get that 'proud of yourself' feeling back very soon. We are all proud of you x
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