You trained – days, weeks, months, maybe even a year – and you crushed your race! Whether it was a 5K, 10K, or your dream IRONMAN, you showed up and conquered. You crossed that finish line, felt the euphoria and adrenaline of a goal met. And now… you’re kind of in a funk? Welcome to the post-race blues – a very real emotional dip that every athlete I know (myself included) has felt at some point after achieving a major goal.
Don’t worry, it’s a real thing! It’s challenging because you transition from months of structured training, sweat, miles, pedals, strokes, high-fives, and tons of congratulations to… quiet.
You stare at your training plan: “Rest until you feel recovered!”
Well, I’m rested, I think… Now what?
If you’re feeling a bit flat after your big event, here are five grounded, tried-and-true ways to work through it and get back to feeling like yourself again!
1. Feel the Emotion – Don’t Fight It
After a major race or event, the body can experience what’s known as post-achievement depression. You’ve been chasing goals, checking boxes, and riding endorphins and adrenaline. Suddenly, it gets very quiet. Completing your event creates a void that can be disorienting.
The first time I felt it, I tried to “fight it.” I immediately signed up for the next race, began training again (almost to the point of overtraining and burnout), only to feel the same way after that next event. I learned quickly that it’s better to sit with the feeling. Don’t fight it; don’t push the emotion away. Instead, acknowledge it. Talk it out with friends, family, accountability buddies, run club mates, or anyone who has been through the journey with you. Journal your thoughts too, it really helps. Let it all flow out onto paper. Let your body and mind catch up to what you just accomplished.
It’s temporary, and this too shall pass.
Pro Tip: Name your feeling out loud or write it down! I’ve learned this is a key step in emotional regulation. It can help identify what it is and what you can do to address it.
2. Celebrate Your Achievement
One of the best ways to beat the post-race blues is to celebrate your achievement and reflect on what you just did. I celebrate with a post-race-blues-overcoming celebration cake or cookie, and lots of reflection time.
I like to reflect by writing a post-race recap. Sometimes I rewrite them, many times I don’t. I always share them though. Ultimately, it helps internalize and truly register the achievement my body just accomplished. There have been times when I didn’t take the time to write down a recap, and life seemed to move on as if nothing happened. The emptiness and quiet void sneak up fast, and before you know it – bam! Post-race blues.
While writing your recap, reread your training logs, meal plans, and relive the day-to-day effort of training. Then, even brag a little – you’ve earned it!
Pro Tip: These reflective practices, such as journaling or writing race recaps, can enhance emotional processing and reduce the intensity of post-event emotional lows. Writing a post-race recap, even if just for yourself – can increase your sense of accomplishment and helps you reframe the experience positively. It’s a great way to tackle the post-race blues head on!
3. Set a Gentle Goal
I’m guilty of signing up for an event literally in the parking lot of the one I just completed! But I’ve learned to give myself some breathing room to do the above two points and really think about what’s next.
Burnout is real, and I’ve felt close to it when I sign up immediately for the next event. Instead, give yourself some time to miss the structure and hecticness of training. Volunteer at a local event, run for fun for a month. Maybe – if a race is absolutely something you’d like – do a 5K fun run with friends! Whatever goal you set for yourself next, give yourself some breathing room to adapt mentally, physically, and emotionally to the one you just completed.
After a few learning lessons, I now like to give myself a few months before fully committing and signing up for my next A-Race. I may have one or two other races on the calendar, but they’re more for fun and to keep myself in movement.
Pro Tip: Try to avoid setting a large, high-stakes goal immediately, use this time to reassess what excites you most before committing again!
4. Stay Close to Your Race Crew
A big part of my training is the connection I feel to the triathlon and racing community, including my friends who also like to run, ride, or swim. Losing this suddenly, through stopping training or not racing for a month or two, contributes to a feeling of being disconnected.
I have found that for myself, social support is one of the strongest protective factors against post-racing blues and emotional crashes. Staying engaged with your crew, coach, or community helps maintain motivation and your athletic identity.
Pro Tip: Lean on and reconnect socially with your crew or community! Volunteer, ride with friends, or show up to spectate at a local race. The value you bring to your friends and community goes way beyond performance!
5. Prioritize Recovery!
Lastly, take this downtime to truly try to relax and recover.
The physical, mental, and emotional stress of racing needs proper recovery. Jumping into the next training block immediately after your big A-race can keep your system in a “go-go-go” state, worsening sleep and hindering proper recovery.
Research I’ve read indicates that proper nutrition, aided by recovery activities like sleep, yoga, mindfulness, and light movement (walking), helps regulate cortisol and restore balance. In addition, try to practice other sports you like.
Personally, as part of my recovery plan, I love to play golf. It’s my zen, and it gets me out of the “nonstop go” mindset of my triathlon training plans. Golf forces me to slow down, to think of each shot individually and then how they collectively add up to my total at the end. It asks me to think of each putt in its own way, and to approach each hole with its own strategy. It basically takes me fully out of triathlon and into another sport. Playing a round of golf – for better or worse than my previous round – always helps me get out of the post-race funk. It also helps connect with nature – an added bonus!
Always remember too, when recovering, you’re not slacking! Recovery is a truly important and essential part of training. It’s difficult at first – being so used to always moving from one training block to the next – but your body, and mind, will thank you for prioritizing them in recovery.
Pro Tip: Schedule your recovery like you schedule your training. It’s like a training block – for recovery! At its essence, schedule a full “recovery week” with intention. Plan naps, nutrient-dense meals, foam rolling, screen-free relaxation time (catch up on a book), etc. A relaxed body equals a regulated mood, leading to quicker post-race blues recovery.
A Few Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling a little lost post-race, I see you and empathize with you! The grind is real. The post-race blues feeling is even more real. But so is the growth that comes out of this entire cycle! Trust the process.
These next few weeks or months of rest, reflection, and “what now?” are not wasted time. It’s part of the process and where you recharge for whatever’s next.
So if there’s something I’ve learned – it’s to slow down and take a deep breath. Revisit that finish line in your head. And when you’re ready, lace up again. A good way to see it is – slow down, to speed up. Your body and mind will thank you for prioritizing recovery and overcoming the post-race blues.
Want to talk about your post-race blues or share your own tips? Drop a comment below! You know Ticket2Tri is always open!
Thank you, as always, for reading my blog. I hope you’ve gleaned something that helps you in your own training cycle, wherever it may have you at the moment, chasing your goals.
Fortitudine Vincimus
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