Chapter 25.06 : Why I Felt Depress After Completing a Full Marathon
By steambunz - Sunday, April 15, 2018
First of all, how on earth is it even possible for someone to feel depress
after running a marathon?!
Work also already stress. Think about money also stress. Then, manatau running also can get depress.
Just. Can’t. Brain. This.
Must as well don’t run in the first place, right? Just eat, drink, sleep, and
be merry all day long!
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| Even the Paris Tuileries Garden Couldn't Agree More |
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. The thought of running causing depression is so not likely to be true. I wish what you were thinking was true; in fact, those were my exact thoughts when I finished my first Full Marathon a week ago.
But what I’m going to share to you is surprising true and real :
It is possible for runners to feel depress after running.
* * *
Before I
go any further, let me first clarify myself that I am not under any serious
clinical depression.
I am fit, and sane just like any other average person.
To me, my main sports besides badminton and swimming, is actually running.
Running has been part of my therapy for my mind and body since high school. Not only it allows me space and time to think things through, but it’s also a sport that allows me to understand myself even more.
I am fit, and sane just like any other average person.
To me, my main sports besides badminton and swimming, is actually running.
Running has been part of my therapy for my mind and body since high school. Not only it allows me space and time to think things through, but it’s also a sport that allows me to understand myself even more.
So, how
can a favourite sport of mine, can cause me depression?
* * *
According
to a few articles, for a runner to feel down after completing a long run or a
marathon is categorized as a post-marathon blues. It is a sense of hopelessness,
or an overwhelming feeling of lost which may take place immediately after a
run, or within 1-3 days depending on the runner.
For a
post-marathon blues to prolong, it is also sometimes categorized as a mini
depression. Although not as severe as the actual one, it is in fact, just
temporary until the runner finds another purpose in life or other goals to
achieve.
So, yes,
this is exactly what I felt even before I finished the run.
The feeling of “everything is over”, and the “what am I supposed to do after this?” was really real.
The post-marathon blues was even stronger than my usual Monday working blues the next day after the marathon. Many times I find myself spacing out during office lunch conversations.
The feeling of “everything is over”, and the “what am I supposed to do after this?” was really real.
The post-marathon blues was even stronger than my usual Monday working blues the next day after the marathon. Many times I find myself spacing out during office lunch conversations.
It took
me awhile to understand why I’m going through these overwhelming feelings, and to
digest the reasons behind these feelings. I had to do a lot of personal
reflection to understand why, and when I finally understood why, I told myself
that I have every right to feel this way.
Let me explain why.
Let me explain why.
First of
all, can you imagine yourself sacrificing all the time in the world, every day
after work, doing nothing else but dedicating your time and money to training?
Well, that’s what I did.
Well, that’s what I did.
I
practically had to convince myself to say :
“NO” to
Friday night yamcha sessions, because I have to wake up the next day for a long
run.
“NO” to my usual Wednesday & Saturday badminton, because it is my tempo run day.
“NO” to spontaneous trips or hangouts on weekends, because my legs wouldn’t wanna cooperate anymore and I’m practically tired.
“NO” to my favourite Korean dramas, because I need to do swimming as part of my rest days.
“NO” to my usual Wednesday & Saturday badminton, because it is my tempo run day.
“NO” to spontaneous trips or hangouts on weekends, because my legs wouldn’t wanna cooperate anymore and I’m practically tired.
“NO” to my favourite Korean dramas, because I need to do swimming as part of my rest days.
And
imagine, one day, when you’ve gotten used to all the above routine for 3
months, and then, suddenly, it just disappears?
It’s
like going to your favourite gym continuously for a year, and suddenly, one
day, when you arrived at your gym centre, you found out that it’s permanently
closed forever! Yes, that pretty much sounds like True Fitness. If you’re a
True Fitness customer, you would probably understand what I mean. lol
So, yes,
that’s exactly what I felt.
Suddenly, it seems I have almost every time in the world to do anything unproductive.
Like watching dramas, and wasting money eating at expensive restaurants just to catch up with friends.
Suddenly, it seems I have almost every time in the world to do anything unproductive.
Like watching dramas, and wasting money eating at expensive restaurants just to catch up with friends.
It’s
just, weird.
And I’m not
sure if I want things to be that way.
* * *
That’s
ridiculous! How can a person feel post-marathon blues! What about the runner’s
high that all runners have after completing a run?
Well,
first of all, yes, it is true that we still have the runner’s high even after
completing a marathon.
1km towards the finishing line, I even felt like I could sign up for another marathon again anytime sooner. Siao (Crazy)!
1km towards the finishing line, I even felt like I could sign up for another marathon again anytime sooner. Siao (Crazy)!
The
runner’s high does helps abit, but it only lasts for a moment or two, because,
dude, I just wanna freaking shower, carbo load that whole bunch of pasta, and
sleep! I don’t have any energy left to feel anymore high! Nothing else makes me
higher than the cold gushing water against my whole body!
* * *
So what
is the cure to this post-marathon blues/depression?
As
highlighted earlier, the only way to feel much better is to find another
purpose or challenge yourself to another torturing challenging sport.
What am
I going to do now?
I’ll still keep running. Running is free and it’s my favourite go-to-gym sports. Next, is to perfect and quicken my swimming strokes!
I’ll still keep running. Running is free and it’s my favourite go-to-gym sports. Next, is to perfect and quicken my swimming strokes!
Will I
still run a marathon?
Yes, definitely sure!
“Sometimes, we need to sign up for something challenging, to remind ourselves how stupid we are” – quoted by Xiao Thoong.
Yes, definitely sure!
“Sometimes, we need to sign up for something challenging, to remind ourselves how stupid we are” – quoted by Xiao Thoong.
Do I
still feel depress now?
Not really, now that I have filled my time with meaningful activities focusing on my fitness and health, I can’t help myself than to feel excited on the challenges ahead!
Not really, now that I have filled my time with meaningful activities focusing on my fitness and health, I can’t help myself than to feel excited on the challenges ahead!
So,
what’s next for me?
Well, it’s for me to know, and for you to find out!
But you’ve probably already guessed it. Something that has to do with swimming, and running (I’m trying to add in cycling but I’m dam broke now). Life is much more than just running, so I’m very excited on the challenges ahead of me!
Well, it’s for me to know, and for you to find out!
But you’ve probably already guessed it. Something that has to do with swimming, and running (I’m trying to add in cycling but I’m dam broke now). Life is much more than just running, so I’m very excited on the challenges ahead of me!
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