Post Marathon Hangover

There is one thing to know will happen after every marathon. A day or two after the race you will be hit by a post marathon hangover. Yes, it’s a real thing. Not a good one, not a depressed one, but not quite sure what to do kind of hangover. It can confuse even the most experienced runners. The pattern is almost always the same. The afternoon of the marathon you’re exhausted and feel totally out of it. The day after the marathon you’re sore but soaking in the success and glory of accomplishing such a big feat. The few days after the marathon you will continue to be energetic as you run into friends and get into great conversation about the marathon. After all that the hangover begins.

You should know that this is actually normal. After so much time and energy focused on a single goal, it is very common amongst runners to feel lost when it’s all over. When it’s all done, that focus and energy has nowhere to go. Know that it’s not just you experiencing this.

How to Handle It: Refocus your energy. You found the time and the energy to do the training. You now don’t have those things blocking up your calendar. Be productive with your newly discovered free time. Catch up with friends or do things you wouldn’t normally do when training so hard. During marathon training, you have likely declined many invites. Make up for it now.

Wait a few weeks before making any big choices about your running future. Maybe you had an amazing marathon and you are immediately ready to sign up for the next one. Make sure any decisions about your future in running are sane and logical.