Run Group - Who is Inspiring Who...??

Most people have heard of Post-partum Depression....but who has heard of the Post Race Slump???  As a father of three amazing children, I am familiar with Post-partum Depression, but no one warned me of the struggles after running an ultra marathon distance race!!!

For 9 months leading up to Golden Ultra Marathon most of my awake hours (and some of my sleeping hours) were focused on the upcoming race.  Training runs, nutrition, running gear, adjusting running schedules with family events...EVERYTHING, seemed to lead towards race weekend.  Then, in 15.5 hrs of running spread over three days, it was done.

There was nothing to plan.  No long runs to complete and no recovery days to remind me of my previously successful run.  The last two weeks have seemed mellow and flat to say the least.... no emotional highs of completing a long run, or the complete exhaustion of hill training.

Last weeks run group was the first run in this session, and the first time I have run since Golden.  This time, I have the honor of running with the 5 km intermediate group as a leader.  The energy in the room as everyone met for the first time caused a buzz of excitement and the energy today was no different.

After the 2.5 km run today with the group, I was hoping for a running partner to join me on another 5 or 10 km run.  Throughout the week, I have felt like I just need to run again!!  I wanted to feel that exhaustion and get my blood flowing; work up a good sweat!!

As the runners from the other groups started to come back in, I was chatting with them about setting goals for 2018 and which races we should do in the future.  All the while,  looking for volunteers to join me for a post run, run tonight....

Finally, Michal came in with his 10 km group and agreed to go back out with me for a loop through the trails before it got too dark.

We talked the WHOLE time, even though his pace seemed to be faster than mine....I tried to block him in on the single track, but we ran side by side on the wider trails and he got me to pick up my pace. While we ran, we discussed race plans for next year and how we planned on training to succeed.

By the time we completed the 8 km loop, my head was back in the game!!!  My Post-race Slump had been beaten, and I had that fire in me to run more!!!

The next few weeks, Ill run with the weekly run group, but my spare evenings will be spent hiking, looking for elk and deer to fill the freezer for the winter.   Then Im going to train for the 25 km River Valley Revenge in Edmonton.  May or June, I need to find a 50 mile or 100 km race which will lead me up to the 125 km Canadian Death Race.

Yes, it may seem like an agressive summer of running, but with my Post-race Slump beat, and the inspiration of the run group and my fellow runners....I can do anything I set my mind to....watch me go!!!