Not sure about you, but the week after a big race, I always feel a little lost. It’s as though a trusted friend has left the country for good, or all that’s left of that chocolate cake in the fridge is a smudge of cream and a few crumbs.
You know, there’s a sense of emptiness in my life right now, with no immediate races to train for, no fixed training schedule, no serious, lung-bursting sessions. All of a sudden I have a ton of time on my hands, given I’m recovering after a year of hard racing and have no need to exercise as much.
What do I do with all these time?
Well, really, it’s a good problem to have. My body does need a big break. All this pent up eagerness to go out the door and swim, bike and run like crazy again? I’m bottling them up for January, when the season starts again for me. I’ll probably get fat in the next three weeks with little exercise and much Christmas food, but from experience, I know that if I continue to push now I could destroy whatever potential I have next year.
So, if you’ve got the same feelings I have, my advice to you is: rest.
Not complete rest. Active rest. Play sports that you haven’t been able to. I know a fellow runner, Lai Chee, who was third in the veteran’s category at the Singapore Marathon and second to me at the Sundown, is spending her time playing tennis. You can still swim, bike or run, but do it leisurely, without any real goal except fun in mind. If you’re just a runner, try swimming or biking for fun. Rest those running legs, and they’ll be nice to you next year.
Use this extra time to do stuff you haven’t been able to do because of your marathon training. Meet up with neglected friends, spend time with family, shop, read that now-dusty book, sew, knit, whatever!
I’ve been baking. Carrot cake in the afternoon right after Sunday’s Singapore Marathon, and chocolate chip cookies yesterday.
Trust me, enjoy your festive season, take time off training, and be rewarded next year.