cycling rocks

I’m thinkin’ Peach of a Century in Salem. If I don’t start riding again, I’m gonna end up going to races and events just to shoot pictures. Good grief!

A second correspondent, identifying herself only as Candy, wrote that her fall marathon had made her sick. “What can I do in my next marathon to keep from getting so rundown for a month afterwards?” she asked. “After running Portland, I came down with the flu and took a long time to recover. I almost lost my love of running for about a month.”

The first runner’s post-marathon reactions were textbook-normal. Every symptom described is what we’re supposed to feel for a few weeks after an accomplishment this big.

We want to eat more, drink more, sleep more and run less. The syndrome is sometimes called the “post-marathon blues.” Accept it as part of the experience. from joehenderson.com

Marathoners and other endurance athletes get “the blues” after accomplishing a big race or event. With the Highline Hammer being my goal event of the year, I followed up with the Torture 10,000 a week later.

My body and mind is still reeling from the intensity of “having” to finish the Torture 10,000. It was a lofty goal at this stage of my riding. I might not have taken enough recovery beforehand to protect myself from these post event blues. It’s taken the fun out of riding.

So. Hal Higdon from Runner’s World writes, “One way to cope with Post-Marathon Blues is to pick a new goal … And your next goal does not need to be running related.”

As an after thought, I think I will make a smaller goal of a good club ride with Portland Velo. It’ll be relatively easy to accomplish with no pressure.

This has been a lesson to me how not to train. Next season offers promise of hindsight and using these events as learning experiences.

A bit refelctive for a Friday I’d say. Here’s something to lighten the mood.

Friday, September 8th, 2006 at 11:57 am.
Filed under Cycling.
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