The post-race blues: Why they happen and what to do about them

For months, or maybe even years, you have dedicated yourself to your training and worked relentlessly toward your big goal race. No matter what the outcome of your race, whether you raced a personal best, fell short of your goal, or DNF’d, race day comes and goes. All of a sudden, the event you have been preparing for is over.

Whether you are a professional athlete or first time marathoner, you might feel a sense of loss, emptiness, purposelessness, worthlessness, sadness, or even depression after your event. These feelings come together to create a phenomenon know by athletes as the “post-race blues”.

Why you might feel this way

Post-race blues are a common experience in the running and racing world. Not long ago this topic did not receive much attention. However, over the past 2-3 years more and more athletes have come forward to normalize and share their experiences with the post-race blues. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps shared how the multi-year pursuit of Olympic gold negatively impacted his mental health in the HBO documentary “Weight of Gold”. Prominent runner and Olympian Alexi Pappas has also been forthcoming in her experience of mental health and how competing can contribute to feelings of sadness and depression. Even myself, along with many amateur athletes I either coach or am friends with have experienced the post-race blues at some point.

It is thought that a multitude of factors contribute to the post-race blues. In the case of a poor race, injury, or DNF, post-race blues may be in part due to situational depression. Situational depression, or “Adjustment Disorder” develops in reaction to an outside event or stimulus.

However, even athletes who crush their goals can develop the post-race blues. That’s because research suggests post-race blues are most likely rooted in a mix of post-race let down and a comparative lack of structure and routine for athletes after their goal race. Post race let down is best described as believing you would become a happier/better/different person after achieving your goal, only to realize that much of life, and much of who you are, is still the same. A lack of structure and lack of a clearly defined purpose is another big contributor. Switching from a rigorous training schedule, with clearly defined and measurable outcomes of success, and a clear purpose/goal to the “off season” or a “recovery period” leaves a void. This switch may decrease feelings of pride, accomplishment, purpose, and joy that you were getting by participating daily in your training.

Part of it may also be hormonal, particularly if your race was long. After an ultra-endurance event for example, your hormones and neurotransmitters are not in homeostasis, and either an overabundance or lack of these little physiological markers can impact your mood.

What you can do to feel better

-       Intentionally make time and space for activities you have sacrificed or neglected during the season: This is a good time to reward yourself with more family time, more time with friends, say yes to an extra beer or glass of wine, or allow yourself to watch that tv series you have been excited about. Instead of focusing on what you are missing or not doing (i.e., training), try to allow this time to feel like a unique opportunity to experience an abundance of something else.

-       Savor your accomplishments: Remind yourself of what you achieved this race or this season. Try making a list of everything. It can be powerful to see everything you have achieved this season as an athlete and as a person.

-       Give your feelings a voice, or a pen: Speaking with a fellow athlete, a mental performance coach, or even just a friend of family member can help reduce feelings of isolation and remind you that there is nothing wrong with you. By giving your feelings a voice, or writing them down in a journal, you can identify what you are feeling, why, and better work through it. One thing that can be helpful is setting time limits around how long you allow yourself to journal or talk about the negative feelings. When your timer is up, have a mood switching activity planned. This could be something that is high energy, positive, enjoyable, or relaxing.

-       Put something on your calendar: This can be a great way to counter reduced feelings of joy or accomplishment you might experience during a relative lack of training. Find something that excites you and schedule it for the week after your race. It can be something enjoyable that you haven’t had time to do, or perhaps something that will give you a sense of accomplishment like learning a new skill, starting a new project, or engaging in a different hobby.

-       Find one actionable thing you did well and one you would improve on next time: Allow yourself to process the good and not so good from this race/season. Coming up with 1-2 tangible things in each category will allow you to savor your wins and feel like you are learning from the things that did not go as well as you’d hoped. The process of learning and growing can feel rewarding, and can help you feel more hopeful or excited about what is next.

-       Remind yourself it is temporary: You are allowed to feel this way, know that others have felt this way too. You are not alone. And while it might seem like the feelings won’t abate, remind yourself it is temporary.

-       Show up for someone else: During a big training block we often receive a lot of support from family and friends. This is a unique time of the year where you might be able to really show up for and support someone else in your life.

-       Start planning your next adventure race or season: Whether your season/race went according to plan, you blew your wildest expectations out of the water, or you struggled, it can be helpful to start thinking about the next race or next season. This is not necessarily the time to come up with your entire season in a structured, regimented way. Instead, think about what excites you. Imagine yourself feeling good and enjoying your next race/next season. What events are you signed up for? What sparks your interest? Allow yourself to be creative.  

-       Seek help: Don’t be afraid to talk with a sports psychologist, mental performance coach, or therapist. We are here to help you navigate through the lows that come with performing and competing!