Post Event Blues

Post event blues.

I was asked on another blog how I felt after an event. As in do I get a big come down afterwards or am I euphoric for ages after etc. I should imagine that most people are different so I will give you my thoughts only. 

Lots of people cross a finish line,  some look like they are ready to drop, some can manage a smile and some look like they have won the lottery.  

But its after you cross the line this is all about. 

I shall begin with what I see and hear from other people who finish events and then obviously post about how they got on and feel afterwards. 

I have spotted two types of people more often than the others. 

1, people who complete an event then post all their happiness online for ages afterwards. Some purely because they are rightly chuffed with their achievement and are happy to share it continuously and some who are on the verge of being a tad immodest and want the world to know how good they did. Either way, both are happy with their achievements. 

2, people who post all their happiness online, relish in talking to others from the same event and comparing tales. This may go on for a few days or even a week. Then you are likely to see them disappear for a while as they hit the post event blues. Don't know what to do with themselves. 

I dont think I fall into any of those categories.  I actually think most people would think I'm pretty miserable after an event. That maybe is because I'm not jumping for joy. (inside I am).

Here is what I do with an event. 

I look at events and try to pick ones that will be tough for me. It could be further, hillier or faster etc. Either way it's got to be different and push the comfort zone. 

Let's say I've booked a 100 mile flattish event, which I have, twice. The Thames Path 100. Once I have an event to aim for i will book other events to fit in with the plan, marathons,  back to back marathons and probably a 50 mile event. All events but the end game is the 100. 

Then the plan is written, by my wife may i add. Sharon is the brains behind it all. Then it's down to me to tick the runs off the plan as the weeks go by. 

Let's say i arrive at any of the events I've booked during the plan, whichever one it is, ultimately it's a training run. I'm not there to relish in the aftermath of the event, it's just get it done and hopefully you gain knowledge from this training event, these ones to me are there to check progress and see what else you need to do. Yes you can enjoy the event, take your pics etc but they are training runs so definitely no euphoria at there finish.  

Hopefully I've reached the end of the plan and am standing on the start line in as good a condition as possible.  Then it's time to execute the plan as best as i can. Whenever I'm on the end of plan event it constantly goes through my mind that i must try to put all that training to good use, it's why I'm there. In the TP100 case this year it was to get under 24 hours by as much as i can. When times get tough i tell myself i haven't trained for 4 months just to give in so get on with it. 

Now if all goes well and i cross the line ( which i did ) then the first thing that goes through my mind is RELIEF,  relief it's over. I will have pictures taken and chat to others but never for long, its normally finish, pics, eat , wash ( if available) leave. 

The next day or so will be spent writing up a report of the event, checking results and discussing how it went with Sharon.  I will post the report online and then it's pretty much over with as far as I'm concerned.  

Within those few days immediately after crossing the line i will of done a few recovery runs and then start the next plan for the next challenge.  

Therefore,  since the time i started running i have always been on plan, finish one and move onto the next. I have currently got events booked up to August 2020, ( its Aug 2019 ). I am not rich so have always thought, barring injury, if I've booked it, I'm doing it. I dont have time to have post event blues and have so far, never suffered from lack of mojo. 

I see lots of posts online where people have lived an event for months and months then once the event is over with it's what do i do now, they have lost what they have lived and breathed for ages. Its similar to people aiming to reach a 100 marathons,  I've seen it, they reach a 100, get the T shirt but then it's over, they dont know what to do next. I'm sure going straight into the next plan can help with this. 

Another thing that may contribute to me not being outwardly euphoric after crossing the line is i don't class myself as being in love with running. Which in many ways is daft because running has brought me a wife, reunited me with old friends,  made me lots of new friends. But the reason i started running 6 years ago was after a bucket list conversation where i said I'd like to run one Marathon.  I took over a year to reach that first Marathon and worked my way up to it with 10k's, HM's etc and i loved the fact i was achieving something on my own, as in, no one can run for me. So the whole thing that surrounds running, the meeting people, the travelling,  seeing scenery you normally wouldn't see, I enjoy all of that. But the actual running bit, I am definitely not one to come home and tell the world how much I loved a run, just love being out there, I saw a bird etc. I just get on with it. I've always trained on my own, not joined a club, dont do parkruns. I just get on with each run and each plan. 

Maybe I do love it all but just not as much as others, maybe I'm just miserable but I definitely do not show outward signs of euphoria after any event. I am chuffed with each one but very easily end one chapter and start the next. 

How do you all deal with post events, are you a celebratory person, do you want the whole of social media to know what you did. 

Please tell.