Congratulations! You made it through that race. You ROCK!!!
But once the celebratory dance, the “biting the bling” pics, and the all-important after-race meal are over…what then?
If this was your first race, or even if it was just the start of the racing season for you, the “day after” can often bring on a really big dose of, “Now what do I do?” You’ve been focused on training and planning for this race, and now that you accomplished it, you may feel a little let down.
The best way to alleviate this post-race funk is to make a plan and set some new goals – whether those include another race or not. Take advantage of the momentum you’ve built and keep moving on your fitness and health journey. (You can revisit our article on Goal Setting for a full recap on how to choose and set goals.)
Here are a few ideas on what you can do next!
Try a longer race – Many people have had success with or heard about various Couch to 5K (C25K) programs. Maybe you even used one for your first 5K. There are also programs designed specifically to help you train for your first longer race – 10K, half-marathon, etc. You can check out training programs from places like Runner’s World and Active.com, or even Google “10K training” or whatever distance you have in mind. Just remember, you shouldn’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% to avoid injury.
Be adventurous – Want to add a fun twist to your run? You can get muddy, be doused in colors and glitter, wear costumes. There are all sorts of options. Check for “mud run” or “color run” or “adventure run” on your favorite race sites (like Active.com), and you’ll find all kinds of races. These can be great for a group of friends or families.
Go multi-sport – You can add another sport to your race. Try a duathlon or triathlon. There are races where you run-bike-run or swim-bike-run, as well as many other combos, like paddle-hike-bike. (Now that’s a tri full of fun!)
Switch it up – Maybe you like running, but it isn’t your absolute bliss. Or you want to cross train to avoid injury, or just because you like it. That’s all good! Find other activities that you enjoy – whether that’s yoga or biking or swimming or whatever. Try out a few classes at your local gym, check out area group bike rides, rent a kayak for the day, hike a trail.
Whatever you choose to do, the important thing is to remember that you are in this for the long haul.
Whether you are training for a specific event – which helps a lot of folks stay motivated – or doing your everyday activities, find things you enjoy that fit with your overall goals. Choose activities you enjoy, that you will want to do, that you can make work with your schedule. That is what will help you stay fit and healthy over time – for life.
Fit For All 