so a week has gone by... gosh already... what now.... why does it seem like the afterglow is dimming by the second? first timers (and veterans alike) when you're going about your training you never stop to think about how you're going to feel when it's over. the difference between us vets and the rookies is that while you are clueless, we choose to avoid the thought of IT... that IT... post-marathon blues. it's real friends, and i would venture to guess that most of you are feeling it right about now. whether you PRed or not, your result last monday has nothing to do with it, there's a weird emptiness that just won't go away.
how many time have you looked yourself (your friends, neighbor, co-worker, and that guy you met at crossroads 4 thursdays ago) up on the baa.org website? cross reference the last name and bib number and check out all of the pictures on marathonfoto.com and smugmug.com. how many conversations did you have last week about "your" marathon? how often have you shared the good, the bad and the ugly parts of those 26.2 miles with anyone who asked? might you be smiling as you are reading this, perhaps reliving the glory day again in your own head? now let me ask, have people stopped asking you how it went,or how you did? have you made the attempt to run yet? do you even want to? what part sucks more, not wanting to run or the thought that no one cares anymore about your running? up until a week ago that's all people wanted to talk to you about, right? "how many miles did you get in today?" "did you really run 21 miles this weekend?" "tapering, what's tapering?" and my favorite (the week before the race), "are you ready?" now here we are, a week has passed, and no one seems to give a crap. giving a crap right about now is hard but that funk feeling is temporary. the desire to get back on the road will come as soon as you regain the excitement you had before the marathon and the exhilaration you felt when you crossed the finish line. even if you're not ready to start logging the miles again, call up your running friends, make a date, meet for coffee, grab a drink. keep talking about it, because we do still care. for us running geeks it never get old.
in november 1998, i ran my first marathon. when it was over, i was in the dumper, big time. i couldn't for the life of me figure it out, after all i had just run my first marathon. a few days later after reading something i knew i wouldn't be the same...
YOU ARE NOW A MARATHONER.
that is my congratulatory gift to you, live it, love it, celebrate it and above all, be proud of it.
cheers.
