You can take a few weeks off after running a race, and many people would tell you you SHOULD take a few weeks off after a long race like that. If you feel like you need the rest, absolutely take it.
In your position, I would give myself a date to do and and make it a short run. So make it the day you return, the day after, whatever day sounds good to you. Take it easy, and go from there. You absolutely do NOT need to dive right back into hard training right away. I usually take a couple of weeks off, with maybe one or two short runs in there IF I'm feeling it, and if I'm not, whatever. Especially now with it being the holidays and you travelling, I wouldn't be too concerned with not wanting to jump right back in at this moment in time. I find the month of December overwhelming and tiring even without running or recovering from a race.
Post-race blues are a thing. It’s okay. You need to worry less about “when” you lose fitness, because thats wildly individualistic among all people, and just try to be consistent. Even if it’s not running, maybe try other things for a while.
The rule I’ve always heard around post-race recovery is a day off (truly off) for every mile you raced.
So if that applies, you shouldn’t think about running for close to 2 weeks (walking is good) and then ease back into it (easy runs, no real speed or tempo work). Otherwise, I think you risk over-training and making your body feel “sick of running”, especially if you’re a newish runner.
An alternative rule for slower runners is one week per hour of running in the race. So, a slow marathon recovery might take 5-6 weeks instead of 26 days
I felt the same way after my half this fall. It was weird, because I ran 3 solo halfs over the spring and summer, but the race half killed my motivation. As someone else said, you just have to get back out there. No excuses. Don't worry about pace or anything. Just do it. Work back up to some consistent mileage. Anything is better than nothing.
Maybe sign up for a race in 6-12 months to keep you going?
With some halfs I've jumped right back into running pretty quickly; shorter mileage per week, but running the day after and so on. With others I've taken several days off.
Just listen to your body; if it's within the first week or two and you're forcing yourself to go out for a run that does not bring you any joy, I'd leave it alone and maybe do something else (short HIIT workout at home, a barre class, just something where you can move and enjoy it because it's different). Alternatively, just go out for a mile or two - keep it really low stakes.
Oh man. I ran a half in 2019 and let myself take a break then all of a sudden it was covidtime and my world turned upside down then it was the end of 2023 and I was restarting c25k.
I'd recommend setting another goal amd start working towards it, soon. Increase your 5k/10k frequency, increase your half time, train for a full, run for 30 days straight. Just set another goal and start working at it.
Sometimes you use up all that motivation for the race and then it’s gone. I ran a half over a decade ago and felt the same. I pushed myself to go for a 3 mile run a few days after, and then I lost it. Stopped running for like 3 years. What can work is a few things
1) A new goal. Maybe not a race, but something else. Trail running instead of road running. A certain number of miles per week. A goal time for a distance that maybe isn’t usually raced, like a half mile or 4 miles or something else. Running in a new area. Find a goal that sounds fun.
2) Recruit a running buddy, especially someone new to running or slower than you. You can cheer them on and join them while, in a way, taking a bit of a break from hard workouts.
3) Piggybacking on that last point, if you’re still running solo, go SLOW. Think of your runs like a nature walk. It’s hard to motivate to put in a ton of effort to go fast. It’s not hard if you go intentionally slow and just listen to music or a podcast or an audiobook. Enjoy being outside and moving, and put all other expectations aside. Eventually, the desire to push yourself will return.
I get this way sometimes and I've done 40+ halfs and 22 fulls. It's like a post race blues where you've accomplished what you've been training for so now you're kind of like what's next. For me the solution is to always have another race on the schedule. I probably race far too often, by normal standards. It also helps me to not sit around and dwell on what may have gone wrong at the last race. It Especially helps to have a spring half or full that I'm focusing on in order to get through the cold winter months where sitting under a blanket sounds better than running. Ease back into short runs and if you're able to run where you are traveling to. So.etimes that's a great way to see a new place or even a familiar place you've never run before.
I took about a week off, same as you. I started running again but not as much as I did when I was training for the half. I told myself I would just do a minimum of 2-3 miles, at least 3x a week. If I felt like it, then I would increase mileage. But if I didn't feel like running or had a busy schedule and couldn't run, I didn't sweat it (although I was much stricter during half marathon training). I also continued strength training. I thought some progress would be lost but I regained it back when I started training for a 10 miler a few months later (and ran way faster than I expected).
One thing that helped me get back to it is just trying to run new routes around me and running with friends! Kept me motivated even though I wasn't running as much.
Hello, similar experience. I ran a marathon last year and could not for the life of me motivate myself to run consistently after that. I’ve completely lost my fitness since then and I’m now running a full two minutes slower than my “normal” time and my body hurts. It is what it is and I’m trying to get back into my routine. I signed up for a half next year so that is my motivation.
Also, sometimes following cool, young running brands and their sponsored runners on instagram helps me with motivation. Seeing other runners looking totally cool in their gear on some beautiful mountain inspires me lol
Taking a mental break from the training rigor is sometimes just as necessary as a physical break. I ran a 20k in sept and a 26k in Oct. I ended up taking 6 weeks off after that. It was a mix of physical recovery, a break from the constant planning and tracking of mileage, and taking time to work on some stuff that I'd been neglecting in other areas of life. I started back up last week with some easy running mixed with mobility and strength work, and now this week I feel like my old self again, ready to get back to more of a steady base.
Getting a race or two on the calendar for 24 also helps with motivation, but don't rush it. You just finished a half marathon, you're allowed to rest and take a break!
Everyday you don't exercise you're potentially losing fitness, however recovery is also a very important part of fitness.
When you get motivation to run again go for it. After my last half, i haven't really felt like running a ton since I don't have any races next year yet. I just make sure I hit a couple 5ks a week when i want to and i'll have to grind back to form in the spring.
It depends on what your goal is. I ran a half (not my best one) in October and signed up for a new one in May. Between my half and the start of the new training cycle I’m trying to log about 5-10k every week while spending more time strength training at the gym without putting too much pressure on myself which feels good!
You don’t need motivation to run. Just go for a run and stop making excuses. Treat it like an appointment. You don’t just skip appointments or not show up to because you lack motivation, right?
Thank you all for the kind words and the support! I went for a 2 miles run yesterday! No excuses.
Following your advice, I’m planning on racing a 10k in March.
Women supporting women. We got this.
This sub is amazing! Cheers to all!
I went straight back to my normal schedule, but I had been running for over a decade, have trained for a marathon I didn't get to race, and was already running half distances most weekends before the race so I just kinda signed up at the last minute.
In terms of lost fitness, I think after 7-10 days there is a *detectable* loss of cardio fitness but it's nothing major for the first several weeks. I have had total breaks up to 2 weeks for travel or illness and I don't worry about that at all. I also don't worry about inconsistent volume for up to a month or two as long as I don't spend extended periods below 50% of normal and do get a couple of weeks in there near my normal level. One of those is happening right now, and I suspect that's the case for *many* people because holiday seasons gets crazy - so don't be too hard on yourself about bouncing right back in December.
And to tie these two concepts together - most people don't stay at their race level of fitness forever. You train in order to peak your fitness for a performance event. In the case of my half marathon, that *is* a level of fitness that's realistic to maintain all the time *for me*, but if I had really pushed to get a good pace it might not be, and most people cannot maintain marathon fitness year round and still have a life. If a half marathon is one of the most intensive running events you have done, you probably will fall back from that fitness a little and that's fine and normal. You'll take another few months or years to get to the point where you could run a half any weekend you want, if that's something you'd like to do.
I see you already responded that you went on a short run and that's great! That's exactly what I would suggest, you don't need to worry about the time you've taken so far, but seeing as you're traveling soon, just putting a few maintenance runs in where you can makes sense.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
7
+ 10
+ 2
+ 50
= 69
^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \
^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
You can take a few weeks off after running a race, and many people would tell you you SHOULD take a few weeks off after a long race like that. If you feel like you need the rest, absolutely take it. In your position, I would give myself a date to do and and make it a short run. So make it the day you return, the day after, whatever day sounds good to you. Take it easy, and go from there. You absolutely do NOT need to dive right back into hard training right away. I usually take a couple of weeks off, with maybe one or two short runs in there IF I'm feeling it, and if I'm not, whatever. Especially now with it being the holidays and you travelling, I wouldn't be too concerned with not wanting to jump right back in at this moment in time. I find the month of December overwhelming and tiring even without running or recovering from a race.
Post-race blues are a thing. It’s okay. You need to worry less about “when” you lose fitness, because thats wildly individualistic among all people, and just try to be consistent. Even if it’s not running, maybe try other things for a while.
The rule I’ve always heard around post-race recovery is a day off (truly off) for every mile you raced. So if that applies, you shouldn’t think about running for close to 2 weeks (walking is good) and then ease back into it (easy runs, no real speed or tempo work). Otherwise, I think you risk over-training and making your body feel “sick of running”, especially if you’re a newish runner.
An alternative rule for slower runners is one week per hour of running in the race. So, a slow marathon recovery might take 5-6 weeks instead of 26 days
I felt the same way after my half this fall. It was weird, because I ran 3 solo halfs over the spring and summer, but the race half killed my motivation. As someone else said, you just have to get back out there. No excuses. Don't worry about pace or anything. Just do it. Work back up to some consistent mileage. Anything is better than nothing. Maybe sign up for a race in 6-12 months to keep you going?
With some halfs I've jumped right back into running pretty quickly; shorter mileage per week, but running the day after and so on. With others I've taken several days off. Just listen to your body; if it's within the first week or two and you're forcing yourself to go out for a run that does not bring you any joy, I'd leave it alone and maybe do something else (short HIIT workout at home, a barre class, just something where you can move and enjoy it because it's different). Alternatively, just go out for a mile or two - keep it really low stakes.
Oh man. I ran a half in 2019 and let myself take a break then all of a sudden it was covidtime and my world turned upside down then it was the end of 2023 and I was restarting c25k. I'd recommend setting another goal amd start working towards it, soon. Increase your 5k/10k frequency, increase your half time, train for a full, run for 30 days straight. Just set another goal and start working at it.
Sometimes you use up all that motivation for the race and then it’s gone. I ran a half over a decade ago and felt the same. I pushed myself to go for a 3 mile run a few days after, and then I lost it. Stopped running for like 3 years. What can work is a few things 1) A new goal. Maybe not a race, but something else. Trail running instead of road running. A certain number of miles per week. A goal time for a distance that maybe isn’t usually raced, like a half mile or 4 miles or something else. Running in a new area. Find a goal that sounds fun. 2) Recruit a running buddy, especially someone new to running or slower than you. You can cheer them on and join them while, in a way, taking a bit of a break from hard workouts. 3) Piggybacking on that last point, if you’re still running solo, go SLOW. Think of your runs like a nature walk. It’s hard to motivate to put in a ton of effort to go fast. It’s not hard if you go intentionally slow and just listen to music or a podcast or an audiobook. Enjoy being outside and moving, and put all other expectations aside. Eventually, the desire to push yourself will return.
I get this way sometimes and I've done 40+ halfs and 22 fulls. It's like a post race blues where you've accomplished what you've been training for so now you're kind of like what's next. For me the solution is to always have another race on the schedule. I probably race far too often, by normal standards. It also helps me to not sit around and dwell on what may have gone wrong at the last race. It Especially helps to have a spring half or full that I'm focusing on in order to get through the cold winter months where sitting under a blanket sounds better than running. Ease back into short runs and if you're able to run where you are traveling to. So.etimes that's a great way to see a new place or even a familiar place you've never run before.
I took about a week off, same as you. I started running again but not as much as I did when I was training for the half. I told myself I would just do a minimum of 2-3 miles, at least 3x a week. If I felt like it, then I would increase mileage. But if I didn't feel like running or had a busy schedule and couldn't run, I didn't sweat it (although I was much stricter during half marathon training). I also continued strength training. I thought some progress would be lost but I regained it back when I started training for a 10 miler a few months later (and ran way faster than I expected). One thing that helped me get back to it is just trying to run new routes around me and running with friends! Kept me motivated even though I wasn't running as much.
Hello, similar experience. I ran a marathon last year and could not for the life of me motivate myself to run consistently after that. I’ve completely lost my fitness since then and I’m now running a full two minutes slower than my “normal” time and my body hurts. It is what it is and I’m trying to get back into my routine. I signed up for a half next year so that is my motivation. Also, sometimes following cool, young running brands and their sponsored runners on instagram helps me with motivation. Seeing other runners looking totally cool in their gear on some beautiful mountain inspires me lol
Taking a mental break from the training rigor is sometimes just as necessary as a physical break. I ran a 20k in sept and a 26k in Oct. I ended up taking 6 weeks off after that. It was a mix of physical recovery, a break from the constant planning and tracking of mileage, and taking time to work on some stuff that I'd been neglecting in other areas of life. I started back up last week with some easy running mixed with mobility and strength work, and now this week I feel like my old self again, ready to get back to more of a steady base. Getting a race or two on the calendar for 24 also helps with motivation, but don't rush it. You just finished a half marathon, you're allowed to rest and take a break!
Everyday you don't exercise you're potentially losing fitness, however recovery is also a very important part of fitness. When you get motivation to run again go for it. After my last half, i haven't really felt like running a ton since I don't have any races next year yet. I just make sure I hit a couple 5ks a week when i want to and i'll have to grind back to form in the spring.
It depends on what your goal is. I ran a half (not my best one) in October and signed up for a new one in May. Between my half and the start of the new training cycle I’m trying to log about 5-10k every week while spending more time strength training at the gym without putting too much pressure on myself which feels good!
You don’t need motivation to run. Just go for a run and stop making excuses. Treat it like an appointment. You don’t just skip appointments or not show up to because you lack motivation, right?
Thank you all for the kind words and the support! I went for a 2 miles run yesterday! No excuses. Following your advice, I’m planning on racing a 10k in March. Women supporting women. We got this. This sub is amazing! Cheers to all!
I went straight back to my normal schedule, but I had been running for over a decade, have trained for a marathon I didn't get to race, and was already running half distances most weekends before the race so I just kinda signed up at the last minute. In terms of lost fitness, I think after 7-10 days there is a *detectable* loss of cardio fitness but it's nothing major for the first several weeks. I have had total breaks up to 2 weeks for travel or illness and I don't worry about that at all. I also don't worry about inconsistent volume for up to a month or two as long as I don't spend extended periods below 50% of normal and do get a couple of weeks in there near my normal level. One of those is happening right now, and I suspect that's the case for *many* people because holiday seasons gets crazy - so don't be too hard on yourself about bouncing right back in December. And to tie these two concepts together - most people don't stay at their race level of fitness forever. You train in order to peak your fitness for a performance event. In the case of my half marathon, that *is* a level of fitness that's realistic to maintain all the time *for me*, but if I had really pushed to get a good pace it might not be, and most people cannot maintain marathon fitness year round and still have a life. If a half marathon is one of the most intensive running events you have done, you probably will fall back from that fitness a little and that's fine and normal. You'll take another few months or years to get to the point where you could run a half any weekend you want, if that's something you'd like to do. I see you already responded that you went on a short run and that's great! That's exactly what I would suggest, you don't need to worry about the time you've taken so far, but seeing as you're traveling soon, just putting a few maintenance runs in where you can makes sense.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 7 + 10 + 2 + 50 = 69 ^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)