Post Marathon Funk (PMF)

LOTS of this since the Boston Marathon

Post Marathon Funk: Otherwise known as Post Marathon Blues or Postpartum Marathon Blues.  A state of blah that occurs after training for and completing a marathon.  This usually comes after 16 to 24 weeks of focused training, goal setting, and looking forward to this one day that may or may not go according to plan.  During Post Marathon Funk (PMF), a runner might exhibit some or all of the following symptoms and behavior:

• Feel tired and apathetic about daily activities.  
• Mope around the house not knowing quite what to do with themselves.  
• Feel the need to have another immediate goal to work towards even though they are perfectly aware that they should rest and enjoy the lull that comes after accomplishing something they worked hard for. 
• Spend more time than they care to admit googling upcoming races where they could possibly race better than their most recent marathon and still use their recent training despite the fact that it wouldn't be good for them.    
• Eat ice cream and other various treats in higher amounts than usual.  Comfort foods.  
• Cry for no reason other than because they feel like it.  
• Irrational thinking.
• Avoiding PMF at all costs by signing up for as many races as they can so that there is no time for that floundering feeling that comes from being between goals.  

Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm in a state of PMF.  Gosh, what a real thing!  And it comes after even our best of races.  I don't think it's that we always HAVE to have something to be working towards but the mind of the marathon runner is definitely one that thrives off of having a goal of some sort. A goal or training that adds to their life in all other ways.  They thrive off having some kind of challenge...a focus...something that drives them and adds to their life.  

When we work at something for so many weeks and focus on one specific race, there is bound to be some sort of empty feeling when that focus is gone.  Similar to that somewhat sad feeling many of us women get after having our babies.  At least I experienced some sort of blues after each of my children were born.  Yes, I had these perfectly sweet and healthy babies to hold close and enjoy.  But there was always a process of blues that I needed to work through after birth.  I'd spent 9 months preparing for their births, focusing on that one day of labor, and carrying this life in my body.  And once pregnancy and birth were done, I had to shift my focus to something new.  This took a little bit of time for me.  And although very different things, I find that I feel similar feelings after a goal race like a marathon.  No matter what my time was or whether I met my goals. Yes, I have that sense of accomplishment in finishing a 26.2 mile race.  Yes, I ran a decent race.  But it's done. After all these weeks of training.  And even though my main focus has been on JOY and enjoying the process of this training cycle, missing my goal/what I think I was trained for is understandably disappointing.  That only adds to the PMF.  Even those that set a personal record in their race experience PMF.  Their PMF is sometimes stronger since they are coming off an even bigger high! 

So much is gained from training for something.  So so much!  There are innumerable lessons to learn about ourselves, life, and the limitless possibilities that are out there for us when we are ready to receive them.  The marathon is a race like no other.  Unpredictable.  Challenging.  Something that makes us stronger, wiser, and more capable and prepared for future challenges.  It takes time to process and soak it up after it is all over.  This is true for any marathon but Boston 2014 was most definitely not like any marathon I've run before.  It was an experience that was so much more than a race.  Lots of emotion being there this year.  The crowds and support were amazing.  The city was alive with LOVE, hope, healing, courage, pride, resilience, and gratitude!  The spectators were loud, strong and alive like I've never seen them.  Never before have I had so many people thanking me for running.  Never before have I felt so much community and strength pulsing through the marathon course...it was electric.  My only regret was not soaking it up more.  Instead I think I was a little too focused on my paces and trying to stay in my zone. But that's just it, no matter what, it was impossible to not take in the life force and energy that was BOSTON STRONG!  It was beautiful and I am incredibly honored to have been there running this year.  

What a joy and honor to be doing Boston with this special friend!  I even got to ride the bus with her.  True inspiration here.  Love her!

THIS is so much better than a PR!  A 3:28 this year. Not a PR but it's my best Boston time! I'll get that PR...I have time.  

So, here I am.  Almost a week out from Boston 2014 and I'm definitely ready to shake this Funk!  I'm ready to set my sights ahead and on the right now.  I'm ready to fully embrace and process all that Boston was and all that I learned from my training and race experience.  And yes, I'm ready to set some new goals.  Maybe that will involve some future races and maybe not.  But my goals will certainly involve finding focus on the next few months of my life as we gear up for some big changes and new chapters that will come with moving back to Oregon!  I'm ready.  

Things to help shake the PMF:

• Allowing yourself the time to just rest your body and mind.
• Being ok without a goal for a short time.  
• Focusing on and enjoying the things that you didn't get as much of during training.
• Thinking of some possible new goals to get excited about.  Not because we need them but because these new goals are part of what makes us us.  They are part of what gives our life energy and strength.  Our goals are what allow us to make ordinary extraordinary!  
• Go on some happy runs that bring you back to yourself and help you remember just what a GIFT running is!!  
• Be Thankful.  Focus on gratitude. 
• Write down all the things you did really well during this training cycle and your recent race!  Then write down the lessons you learned and what you can apply to the next training cycle.  
• A Runninghood follower on Facebook reminded me of just how important it is to have a group of friends...a support group...that really understand this post race funk.  Sometimes, it's the support of these friends that make all the difference in the world!!  I know this has been such a wonderful thing for me.  Thankful for my running friends that truly "get it".  

Today's run was definitely needed.  Soul food!  Happy.  A PMF shake out.  

Do you get the Post Marathon Funk?  What do you do to shake it?  

Amanda

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One Year Later. Remembering Boston 2013 and Looking Forward to Boston 2014. We All Stand Together.

"I'll see you next year Beautiful Boston.  And our spirits will be STRONGER.  They already are.  Fear doesn't win.  Love does." --taken from my reflections from Boston 2013

This blog doesn't get much exercise these days.  Seems like I go longer and longer between posts.  Inconsistent at best.  So, while I'm in better shape than perhaps I've ever been, my blog is wildly out of shape.  And this is probably a good thing right now.  It means I've been focused on other things...life!  Training for the Boston Marathon 2014 has been a big part of that but definitely not the main focus.  Life has been pretty balanced these days and the marathon training has been so much less of the main focus and so much more of a beautiful and energizing compliment to the other areas of my life.  Just the perfect place really.

Today, one year after Boston 2013, seems like a fitting day to blow the dust off this blog a bit and do some reflection.  I've never been one to remember exact dates all the time.  I remember moments.  Experiences.  Feelings.  So, even though I was in Boston last year...running, watching, experiencing...I did't entirely register 4-15 as the exact day that it was.  I remember Boston 2013.  Very much.  Of course.  I remember my feelings on that day.  I remember what the race meant for me.  I remember the outreach of love from family, friends and the running community world wide.  I remember so much.  And I won't forget.  But waking up this morning to register that today is the exact day...one year exactly...brought with it some unexpected emotions.  Emotions I haven't entirely allowed myself to feel.

There have been many times over the last year that I've found myself thinking that since I was one of the lucky ones that wasn't physically harmed or that didn't have any loved ones who were harmed or killed, that I don't really have a right to feel too much emotion.  I remember thinking this directly after the bombings and on into the night of the marathon as we made our way out of the city to a friend's house. I told myself this on my flight home and when I hugged my kids when we arrived safely.  I pushed emotions away when people asked me about the race and my experience.  I almost felt like I didn't deserve to grieve or feel deep emotion compared to so many others.  I'd quickly replace my feelings of sadness with all the reasons I had to be thankful:  My husband and friends who were near the finish area were safe, kids were with their grandma back home, I finished with plenty of time to not only have had my race but to be far enough away from the bombs to where I only heard them...so many things to be thankful for.  But that didn't take away from the real emotions that were also part of that day...that moment.  The truth is, so many of us were affected by this tragedy.  All our feelings are valid:  grief, sadness, fear, anger, relief.  All of us that feel something are entitled to those feelings no matter how silly we feel about expressing them.  All of us:  Those that were physically harmed or that lost a loved one.  The families and friends back home who were watching and hearing about the tragedy.  The running communities near and far.  Those of us that raced.  The citizens of Boston.  Or those that just FEEL for HUMANITY.  It's the way we come together after tragedy (of any size) that adds to the beauty of life...the way we come together to
love
feel
process
support
and
rebuild.

TOGETHER.

I look back to Boston 2013 with a lot of different feelings.  It isn't lost on me even a little in the power that this race held for me when it comes to letting go of fear and replacing it with love.  That's what this race was for me.  My words to myself during this race were all about self love and comfort during a somewhat unpredictable time in life.

"Leave fear on the course.  Let fear go with every step.  You are in control. You are where you are at this time and that's just where you need to be. All will be okay."

I didn't realize at the time that this very race would be what would not only help me get rid of fear in my personal life, but what would bring me calm during a tragedy that came to a city, a race, a day, the community and sport that I love so much.

"It is this very act of letting go of fear and replacing it with an incredible amount of self love that gave me peace and calm during those hours of tragedy that touched Boston at the finish line of one of the greatest human sporting events of history. It was those 26.2 miles of remembering myself and finding an Amanda that I'd never fully seen before that prepared me for what was to come and what is still here to process."  

I love Boston.  I love the city.  And I especially love the Boston Marathon.  It is a race I hope to run as many times as I can.  It isn't just a race for me.  It is an experience.  It's the energy.  A celebration of the sport of marathoning that I love so much.  It is a spirit.  And I couldn't be more excited to return to run again next week.  It will be my fourth Boston Marathon and probably my most special.  I'm excited to be there with my family and spend time with some of my dearest friends.  I'm excited to be running in a race with so many of my favorite runners from all around the world.  It will be a day where we all come together....with love, resilience, passion, and spirit.  Together.  As spectators.  Runners.  Community.  STRONGER.  STRONG.  BOSTON STRONG.  Boston 2014 will be yet another way to come together and send a message of:  LOVE WINS.

Below is one of my favorite songs lately and one that gives such a beautiful tribute to this race, this tragedy, this sport that we love....

Be Well Friends,

Amanda

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