I ran my first race this year... (not even close to an ultra)

And felt the same thing for several days... To me it was I had focused on that race for so long  and once it was gone... I felt I had lost a best friend.....decided to set some new running goals and wamo I felt better.

....oh, and maybe indulging in a few of those things you've been strict about avoiding during your hard training would help too (ie. Doritos!).  Just don't enjoy that part too much 

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Originally posted by thejoggler:

What do you do to fight the post-race blues? (or am I the only one who feels this?)

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Don't fight them. Embrace them as yet another part of the experience. Just as you went through highs and lows during the race, you will do so afterwards as well. I like to try and look at it all as one long journey that may have climaxed at the finish line, but is not over until...well, until its over, actually. Just as your body is recovering from your monumental effort and accomplishment, your emotions are responding to that state and the resulting sense of melancholy may linger for a bit. Use it as a time to let everything slowly sink in, reflect and revel in your success before moving on to the "next thing".

After completing a major goal race such as my first ultra, first time at a new distance, or a major PR, I will take some time off from running. Not just the recovery time that I might take between set goals or the walking or easy cycling that I might make myself do to keep the blood flowing, but actual no running until I really feel like it. Then, when I do feel the internal compulsion to get out there and run I will keep it easy, very easy. Perhaps, I won't wear a watch. Certainly, I won't have a set goal. Just simple, easy, running.

After my first hundred I took a full week off before letting myself run at all. When I finally did it was the most simple, effortless run I could recall having done in a long time; not at all like training. I enjoyed such runs a few more times over the next week. Eventually it faded and I fell back into old patterns, wanting to track my progress towards something. At that point I knew that it was time to move on, look forward and pick the next goal. A new journey was about to begin.

-Steve
http://mountain-man-steve.blogspot.com/[/URL" target="_blank">

Yeah, set some more goals, which don't necessarily have to be about sports.  This is the time of year I start getting busy on house projects as racing winds down.  I got totally pumped up by taking Tuesday off to start retiling my bathroom.

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Originally posted by markc7:

Lightweight!      I took a whole month off after my first 100, and even when I started running again I ran without a watch for another month.  When I jumped back into training after that, I was raring to go.

Yes, but I live in the SF Bay Area which is the center of the ultra-addict world with year-round running weather and accessible ultra races just about every single weekend. Its tough to take a whole month off from running races around here (I will try in Dec.) let alone a month of from running. You just can't imagine the peer pressure. I got talked into signing up for my second 100 before I was even recovered from my first!

thejoggler, perhaps you're, um, juggling too many things at once.

OK, I couldn't resist.