Post Race Blues

I think every runner experiences what I call the post race blues. Runners I have talked to say no matter the distance, whether it’s a ultramarathon or a half marathon or a marathon, they seem to get a case of the blues after running their race.

Logically you would think that after such an accomplishment that the way you feel would not be any where close to the blues, but in the range of excitement, feelings of accomplishment, grateful for the experience, glad you don’t have to go on crazy long training runs, and grateful that life is back to a normal routine. But instead you feel sad that the race is over, maybe a little anxious/restless, maybe bored, and not as excited about things as you were before the race.

I remember having these exact feelings after I ran my first 100K race. It was my longest race to date and there was a big build up to it for me. Then on race day It was a very exhausting race that took a lot of physical and emotional energy. I would say it was probably the hardest race I have completed. I think some of these factor is what brought on the blues for me.

All this is normal and happens to a lot of runners after finishing a race. I think this happens for a few reasons. There is a build up of “can I really accomplish my goal of finishing” to a “I accomplished it, now what do I do with myself” feeling. There is also  lots of endorphins from training and then from the race that you don’t get after you have stopped training. The excitement from others such as a training partner, a spouse, a sibling or a friend is not there anymore. I think all of these factors are part of the reason why we have post race blues.

So all this begs the question….how do we get over our post race blues. I think it can be therapeutic to write about the whole experience of training for and running a race. Doing a blog post or a journal entry can do the trick. Also, if you really did enjoy the whole experience of your race, I think it is a good thing to set a new goal to run another race. Maybe a race that is longer in distance or maybe you want to try to improve your time at the distance you just ran. These can help pull yourself out of the blues and give you something to work for and  look forward to.

Those are some things you can do, but I also think it is equally important to not do some things like get right back into running. It is important to let your boby recover from your race. Also, getting back into running too early can result in burn out. Instead of getting back into running right away, find something to fill your free time with by going to a movie during the time you would usually be training, or by going out to eat, or spending some time with friends and family that may have been slightly neglected because you were busy training.

Remember post race blues are normal and takes a little bit of time to pull out of. Hopefully some of these types helps

 

Fall Running

Running this Fall has been a lot of fun with the cooler temperatures and Fall colors. On many of my runs I took my phone and a video camera to take pictures and to get some video of the beautiful scenery. I have taken some of those pictures and video clips and put to togethers this video of what Fall has looked like from the trails in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.

The Importance of Sleep as a Way to Recover

Getting good amounts of sleep is not always possible because of a busy life full of demands, but if possible it is wise to schedule your time so you can get good quality sleep at night to help with recovery from training.

When I was in college I was more at liberty to take naps during the day. I think this helped me with my energy levels when it came to running. Now I have a full-time job during the day with a 45 minute to an hour commute both ways during the day. With all this and other things going on, I am not at liberty to just take a nap. I think most ultra runners are in this boat. They have busy lives that cuts into their time for sleep.

Sleep is important and so here are some tips on how to get good quality sleep to help with your recovery from training.

• Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. For me, 8 hours is perfect. I can survive on 6 or 7 hours of sleep, but if I can get 8 hours then I feel refreshed with energy for day.

• Give yourself a bedtime. Consistently going to bed at around the same time each night gets your body into a pattern of when to be a wake and when to be asleep. I think this helps your body to know when to go into recovery mode. When I was younger, I lived in the island country of Vanuatu in the South Pacific for 2 years and almost every night during those 2 years I went to bed at the same time and got up in the morning at the same time. Interestingly, as I did this, I got to the point when I did not need an alarm clock to wake me up…I just woke at exactly the same time every morning. Also, giving yourself a bedtime will help assure that you get a good amount of sleep during the night.

• If possible take naps. I believe ultra runners need naps. During the week, I ride the bus to work. On my way into work I usually read, but on my way home I take a nap. Doing this I able to sleep for about 30 minutes or so. Then when I get home I feel refreshed and ready to go for my after work run. I also think it’s important to naps after long training runs. Most of my long training runs take place on the weekend. On the weekend, I have more free time so most of the time I can take a nap after a long run. Doing this, in my opinion, helps your body recover faster so you can get back out running again with less fatigue.

• The place where you sleep should be optimal for sleeping. Meaning… free from noise, not too hot, not too cold, and a comfortable bed. When I was in college, I sometimes had noisy roommates. To drown out the noise I would turn on a fan that provided some ambient noise that helped me to sleep. This may help you if live in a place where there is noise that may keep you from sleeping.

• Get up early. Some people may disagree with me on this one, but I really think getting up early helps with good quality sleep. I am more of a morning person than a night person and maybe that’s why I like getting up early. I think getting up with the sun is what the body needs naturally. When I get up early, I am more productive and have more energy. But if I sleep in I feel lazy and interestingly more tired. I’m not sure why this is, but I think too much sleep (more than 8 hours) may be less effective then 8 hours exactly.

All of this is obviously my opinion and may or may not be backed up in scientific studies, but it is what has worked for me.  I hope some of these thoughts help you in your running and training.

Related articles

• can too much sleep be bad for you? (plaridel.wordpress.com)
• How and Why to Become a Morning Person (health.usnews.com)

Timpanogos Run

Below is a video I made while running Timpanogos this Saturday. Timp, as it is affectionately called by those from Utah, is 11,749 feet (3,582 m). Timp is one of Utah’s most popular hiking destinations. There are two trails to the summit. The Timpooneke Trail and The Aspen Grove Trail. Timpooneke is easier, but longer to run/hike. Aspen Grove is shorter, but harder because it is steeper and the trail is more technical which equals a trail that is not as runnable as Timpooneke.

The video below is of my run, which turned more into a power hike on the ascent to the summit up Timpanogos on the Aspen Grove Trail. The Aspen Grove trailhead sits at about 6,910 feet (2,106 meters) which means the ascent to the summit is a 4,839 ft. vertical climb over 6 miles of trail that leads to the top. Round trip is around 12 miles. The Timpooneke trailhead sits at about 7,370 feet (2,185 meters) which comes out to a 4,379 ft. vertical climb over 7 miles of trail that leads to the summit. Round trip is around 14 miles.

Related Posts:

Why Ultramarathon running is Awesome! (dallanmanscill.com)

Why Ultramarathon Running Is Awesome!

Here is a video I put together that shows why I think trail running/ultramarathon running is awesome! The video has pictures and video clips of the Squaw Peak 50, the Wasatch 100, Mount Timpanogos, The Grand Canyon, and Kings Peak.

Upset Stomach and Ultra Running

Ginger for upset stomachs

Getting an upset stomach is common in ultra running. To avoid an upset stomach it is important to stay on top of hydration and electrolytes, but even when when trying to do this an upset stomach can still happen.

Here is what has worked for when my stomach has gone south…Ginder Chews and Coke. I did a little reading on ginder and many of the things I have read say that ginder is good for upset stomachs. Whether your upset stomach comes from motion sickness, morning sickness or ultra running ginder can help calm a nauseous stomach.

I’ve used a ginder chew candy called Ginger Chews when feeling sick in ultramarathon races and I find that they really do help in calming my stomach. These Ginger Chew candies have a spicy/sweet taste to them. I would highly recommend these to any ultra running trying to figure out how to overcome stomach issues in an ultra race.

I also think Coke is good for an upset stomach. It’s not as good as Ginder Chews, but I find Coke to be helpful in the sense that if my stomach is feeling nauseous then I usually have no desire drink water. When I’m in this kind of state, Coke usually is the only thing I can stomach. I’m not sure why this is, but I think part of it is in the latter stages of an ultramarathon my taste buds and stomach just get tired of water and I just do not want to drink anymore. But for some reason Coke seems to hit the spot with my taste buds and usually with my stomach when I feel this way. In my opinion water is way better for you than Coke, but if you can only stomach Coke then that is better than drinking nothing.

Ginger and Coke are two things that have worked for me. Particularly Ginder Chews…they really help in soothing my stomach. Give one or both of these a try on your next long run to see if this is something that might work for you in your next ultramarathon.

Related articles

• Coke and Running (dallanmanscill.com)

Karl Meltzer’s Thoughts Before The 2012 Run Rabbit Run 100 Miler

44 year old Karl Meltzer won The Run Rabbit Run 100 Miler at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Counting today’s win he has won thirty-one 100 mile races. That’s more than anyone else on earth. He often says in his blog posts that “100 miles is not that far.” Someone can only say that when they have the 4th fastest time on the Appalachian Trail (2176 miles in 54 days 21 hours, 12 minutes). And they have run the Pony Express Trail (2064 miles in 40 days).

Here are Karl’s thoughts from irunfar.com.

The Benefits Of Running Ultramarathons

I was thinking the other day what the benefits of running ultramarathons are:

Physical Health

In my opinion, first and foremost is physical health. Running no matter what is healthy. Sure there are health risks in running, but there are health risks in just about anything we do. Living life is a health risk! Not too long a ago I wrote a blog post on Ultra Running and Health Risks. My conclusion in that post was that the benefits out weigh the risks. Ultra running allows me to have the fitness level to do anything I want and need to do. This is a great thing to have!!

Emotional Health

Emotional health is another benefit that comes from ultra running. There have been many times when I have felt the stresses of life pressing down on me, but those stresses seem to be less stressful after a nice long trail run. I think the sum total of trail running or just running in general leaves you happier and with a positive perspective of life even when things can be tough at times.

Friendship

Developing meaningful friendships. A lot of runners meet each other through running and they spend their time together training for races. All this equals friendships that are meaningful and lasting. In my case my family (my dad, two brothers, a sister, and a brother-in-law) have taken up ultra running. As a group we enjoy training together, run ultras together and all this has brought us closer together.

My Dad, My Two Brothers, My Sister, and Me (far right) at the finish line of an ultramarathon…we all finished. This was my sister’s first 50 miler and ultramarathon.

My borther-in-law and me running. We are on the highest point of a 50 miler that we ran together.

The Outdoors and Scenery

In ultra running, runners cover a lot of distance in a short amount of time. The benefit of this is you get to see a lot of scenery that you may not otherwise get to see. As an example, I have run the Grand Canyon rim to rim twice. In doing it I saw some awesome scenery that I simply could not see just from the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Enjoying a great scenic view. In this photo I’m coming off of Kings Peak and looking down into Henry Forks Basin.

Adventure

Running an ultramarathon is adventurous. I think this aspect of ultra running is what attracted me to it. I had always loved the outdoors and sports growing up. When I learned about ultra running it was such a novel idea that it really peaked my interest. I still consider my first 50 miler as one of my biggest adventures in life because of the challenge of charting the unknown territory physically, emotionally, and geographically. It was a lot of fun!!!

Challenge and Success

The challenge and accomplishment of running ultras is another benefit. I remember running my first 100 miler and the days before toeing the starting line I kept trying to wrap my mind around the huge challenge of running that far. Running that far for me was to run one full day and then when the sun went down to run all night and then when the sun came back up to run most of the next day. Mentally, it boggled my mind to fathom that. Then race day came for my 100 miler and I ran all day, all night, and most of the next day and finished. To finish a 100 miler felt very satisfying!

If you’re thinking about registering and training for an ultramarathon, you should do it…the benefits are great!!!

Question:

For those who run ultramarathons: What benefits have you had from running and training for ultras or from any race?

The Tetons and Trail Running Equals Adventure

My intent with this blog is to mainly share some of my knowledge about ultramarathon running that I have gained from running trails and ultras. I also want to highlight anything that has to do with adventure whether it has to do with ultra/trail running or not. I found this video of two ultra runners who recently summited the Tetons. It’s a fun video to watch. It’s about ultra/trail running, but it is also about adventure. Enjoy!

Altra Zero Drop Footwear Commercial

Here is a commercial from Altra Zero Drop Footwear. They are a relatively new running shoe company to the ultra world.