Getting Over the Post-Event Blues

Contributed by: Sue Strong, Erica's Wish, Founder and Race Director

You have trained for months. You have dreamt about the start line, the finish line, the course and the medal. You have visualized crossing that finish line and receiving your well deserved medal. You can see yourself at the start line, nervous but telling yourself that ‘you can do this’.  You know you can, you trained for it. This is all you have thought of for months. What happens when it is done? When you wake up the next day and your scheduled workout doesn’t need to happen because recovery IS essential. All you can think is “what do I do now?”.

This is a very good question. Most athletes go through the post event blues if they do not have a plan in place. You have been so preoccupied by your event that you forgot to figure out what you are doing post event.  The best way to deal with this is to be prepared. You know you are going to go through it, its almost impossible not to but if you have a plan in place, you won’t feel as bad.

Here are some tips to alleviate the blues:

1.  First off you MUST plan for some recovery. A great time to fit in a massage or yoga.

2.  Set up a new goal plan for the coming year. Make sure you plan it out that you have your smaller events and a lead up to your main goal.

3.  Have a friend get involved and sign up too. Training is always easier with a friend. (so is being accountable)

4.  You should have some time before your events begin so set up a proper training plan. Include cross training, strength training, stretching/yoga and endurance workouts. Plan your schedule around your goal events. Make sure you have taper weeks to allow for recovery.

5.  Try something new! Now is a great time to try a new workout or sport that you have wanted to get involved in. You don’t have to worry that it may affect your goal as you have accomplished it. Have fun!

6.  BE PROUD. You have accomplished something you worked hard for. Don’t just dismiss it as being done. You have accomplished something that many have not.

7.  Most of all, take time to thank those that have been there for you. There’s a pretty good chance that you have not been as attentive as you were pre-training. Thank your family and friends that have put up with your crazy schedule. Their support was a big part of your training.

Plan. Train. Achieve. Enjoy.

The X Factor in Running (Women!)

Contributed by: Cory Freedman, Founder and Race Director for the Toronto Women’s Running Series

This summer as I watched the women’s marathon and other running events at the London Olympic games, I thought a lot about how far the sport I am passionate about has come, even in my lifetime.

It wasn’t that long ago that this was a boys’ game.  At the 1960 Rome Olympics, the longest that women were allowed to race was 800 metres!  It wasn’t until 1984 – nearly a quarter century later - that the women’s marathon became an accepted Olympic endeavour.  

Now, another 28 years on, we are seeing more women than ever before take to the roads and set their own pace.  Running USA recently revealed women now make up more than 53% of the finishers in all timed running events.  There are more women than men participating in every distance except the marathon.  In the UK, the number of women jumping into ultra-marathons is outstripping the number of men joining the sport by 3:1.

What is it that is driving women to participate in running events in record numbers?   I believe that events like ours, the 5K, 8K 10K and half marathons of the Toronto Women’s Running Series, are partly responsible for  inspiring more women to set a goal, take on a training program, cajole some friends and come on out to test themselves against their own pace. 

We definitely know through our own ongoing research as well as some from other industry sources that women love to run with other women.  Certainly, there is a slice of high-level elite athletes who simply love to run, have the confidence and will put in the time and effort to excel at it no matter whether they run against other women or in mixed gender events.  But for newbie runners and women who have taken the sport up later in life as a leisure pursuit instead of a competitive activity, there is something about the camaraderie that an all-female atmosphere can offer that gets them to come aboard and to stick with it.

Women are social creatures. We like to shop together, read books together, talk about our kids and pets together, connect online together. We tend to enjoy the success of the whole as much as we revel in our own individual achievements.

We are natural communicators and for many women, the most memorable part of the experience of racing is not simply crossing the finish line, but who you crossed the finish line with and how you got there together.

Beyond the camaraderie, well just like Cyndi Lauper said, girls just wanna have fun!Female-centric events frequently offer perks and relevant aspects that would just not fly at a mixed event like well-cut feminine t-shirts, jewellery instead of finisher medals, fit and fine looking firefighters offering water, hugs and photo ops, and plentiful porta-potties. Wmen want to run – but they want to know their needs and wants will be fulfilled too.

As with any emerging trend, controversy can go hand in hand with enthusiasm.  I’ve heard concerns raised that we fought hard to be included as equals in major races (remember Katherine Switzer’s bold move toward inclusion in the 1967 Boston Marathon?)and now somehow we are diluting that victory by reverting to an all-female race.  I’ve also heard that an all-male race would not be tolerated or supported the way we support our female events.  

To this I say ‘hooey’!  There is a race out there for everyone and that’s a good thing. We need more diversity in race events not less.  For some women, the thrill is in running competitively with the boys.  For others, they’d never set foot on a course in that atmosphere.  So why would we want to limit any opportunity for that would motivate women to get involved in this exciting, glorious and ultimately health-supportive activity?  

Let’s celebrate the X Factor in running and simply focus on what the sport is all about – setting your own pace and enjoying the race.  

The Value of Cause-based Training Programs

Contributed by: Jamie Osipenko, Director of Team in Training – Ontario Region

There are many amazing ways in which you can give back to your community or help support a cause through fundraising.  One of the ways is through signing up to participate in a race that is associated with either one or a variety of charities from which you can choose to donate. Another popular option is to sign up to participate in a training program that offers the full-on training experience from beginning to end. These unique programs give you the opportunity to fundraise for a great cause while offering professional sport-specific coaching, event registration, travel to and from your event, team support and celebrations, as well as mentored support by organization staff to help you reach your fundraising goals. Training for an endurance event such as a full or half marathon, triathlon, or cycling event is a commitment that can be daunting on your own, and fundraising can be no less intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. 

When I did my first race as a participant for Team in Training back in 2004 I was really nervous about asking people to donate. I had a wonderful mentor who brought it to my attention that really the worst thing that could happen would be that someone would say no. When I thought about it, I realized that hearing the word no wasn’t the end of the world, so with that idea my campaign began. I wrote a letter explaining what event I was training for, and how I was raising money to help fight blood cancers. I kept it light and funny while still conveying the gravity of the disease and how important donations would be. I made 200 copies and sent it out to everyone I knew across the country: coworkers, clients, friends, family, and friends of family. I told complete strangers what I was doing and why. By the end of the season I had raised over $5000.00 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I had made it my personal mission to tackle my fundraising from the very beginning of my training, and because of this I didn’t have to worry about scrambling at the end. That first season I was part of the most insanely fun athletic experience of my life! We were a large team of new and experienced triathletes who supported each other in the pool, on the bike, and on foot, and who helped each other meet and exceed fundraising goals. We were a make-shift family, united in our efforts to have fun while raising money and training hard. It was awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I went on to be involved in other seasons and events for Team in Training, including triathlon, marathon, and a mountain hiking season. I have spent time over the past several years either fundraising myself or helping others to brainstorm and implement fundraising events for different causes. Being able to combine athletic endeavor while supporting a cause has, for me, been an extremely rewarding and ultimately satisfying experience.

If there is a cause that you have a personal connection to and you want to try a sporting event then look to see if they offer a program like the one I described. You can also choose a program based on what race destination they are offering. When I signed up for that first triathlon I didn’t even own a bike, but I really wanted to go do a race in Maui, and that was how I chose that particular program. That decision changed the course of my life, quite honestly. Also, it is important to know how the money you are fundraising will be utilized once it’s in the hands of the charity, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. A reputable organization will be happy to share with you the breakdown of what happens to the funds you are collecting on their behalf.

Ultimately, signing up for a race event while raising money for a charity is a wonderful experience for both body and soul. Whenever I had moments of doubt in my ability during a race I was always sustained by the thought of the people out there that were fighting a disease that maybe, just maybe, there would someday be a cure for, and that that cure would be accomplished through funds that I had taken a part in raising.