I just achieved something I worked so very hard for. It was one of the best days of my life. I was on cloud nine. And for the first few days after I was living on adrenaline. I was on a high. I felt unbeatable. And then......
**Warning: This post has some negativity in it. I am one who likes to focus on the positive, but I wanted to be true to myself so when I read this later I remember what I went thru and I wanted to be true to others who may be experiencing the same thing.**
Post race blues. It is a thing. I had heard about it but had never experienced anything like it. My body is getting the rest it so desperately needs so I can recover from my bike fall and the demands that racing injured put on my body. But going from intense training to not training has left me with a serious void.
I find myself being sensitive and extra emotional. I tear up unexpectedly, especially if looking at pictures or videos from race day. I am exhausted. I am not eating or drinking as well as I should.
My hip and knee hurt too much to run. I am sick with Bronchitis and Pleurisy to which I am wondering if illness is also a part of post race blues. It makes sense that your immune system would be weakened after a long duration of intense working out. And to top it all off I am having a flare with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I feel like my body is in attack mode and I am the enemy. I know it is my bodies way of screaming at me to rest. I need to listen.
I have another race on the docket. I am signed up for the CB&I sprint tri on April 30th. This was my first triathlon last year and I was really looking forward to seeing how far I have come. Not sure how much progress I will see since two weeks post IM 70.3 Texas I have only done a painful 1 mile run, a 1 hour cough fest on the bike trainer and a measly, painful 10 mile ride outdoors. I may have to make a difficult choice.
It is tough watching my friends who did Ironman 70.3 Texas with me jump right back out there and race the next weekend and the weekend after that. But I need to remember that my body has allowed me to do amazing things! I am injured. I raced 70.3 miles injured. I have RA and some days I can't get out of bed. And I raced 70.3 miles!!
My body may not be as strong as I wish it would be, but that is my battle and I will keep fighting it.
How do you deal with post race blues?!?
I've done 128 tris (two IMs and a half dozen ormolu 70.3s...who's counting?) 13 marathons, a few ultras, ran Pikes Peak marathon and a grand canyon double and have always had to go right back to work the next day as 'MY" special needs kiddos "need" me (and I need them)- no time for blues or even thinking about the race I just did as I am always planning for the next one!
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