Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 123, October 2019 | Page 40

WALK
THIS
WAY
By Anel Oosthuizen
Once a big race day has come and gone, that inevitable
feeling of “what now” all too often sets in, so what can you
do about it?
After months of training or preparing for a big event or race, you finally get to that
point where it is time to deliver the ‘goods.’ Then, race day arrives, and either you
achieve your goal time or position, or perhaps you are left a bit disappointed by
your performance, but whatever the result, that is usually followed by a general
feeling of being a little ‘lost.’ After such a big day, you may find yourself asking,
“What now?”
This is a topic I have been wanting to discuss for quite a while, both from my
perspective in my race walking career and others, so I also spoke to a few of my
friends who recently did the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and got some feedback
from them as to where they are now that their big target race is behind them.
Delayed Reaction
So, jumping right into the discussion, what happens after the race? I have always
gone through a type of delayed realisation
that my preparation is finally done
and the race day has gone. This
was especially the case after
my trip to the Olympics
in Rio in 2016. First of
all, it doesn’t sink in
immediately. The race
may be completed,
but the realisation
that you are now
done with all
the training will
only sink in the
next morning,
when the alarm
doesn’t go off
for early morning
training, and
when you wake,
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ISSUE 124 OCTOBER 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
Then a feeling of relief overwhelms me, along with tiredness – not only physical, but
also mentally. In fact, I think many athletes do not realise how big an effect such
preparation has on our minds and bodies, and how much of a toll it takes on us.
I know I am not the only one who has experienced this, and after chatting to my
friends who were dealing with their post-marathon ‘depression,’ I was able to come
up with a few thoughts that I would like to share, on how to deal with that ‘what
now’ post-race feeling.
1 Withdrawal Symptoms: It may seem a bit melodramatic to speak of withdrawal
symptoms, but they are real. The routine of training or preparing for a big event
means that inevitably your body gets used to it, and when this routine and intensity
suddenly stops, your body does not know what is happening and goes into a semi-
state of shock. I have experienced actual physical pain, especially in my legs, after
taking a week off after a race. That’s when I start feeling like I am missing out on
something, and I relate to it as having ‘withdrawal symptoms’ from not walking.
2 Rest is Best: One of the hardest things for me to do after a big race is to
completely rest my body, as in taking a week or two off and not doing anything. I
enjoy it the first few days, and then it is like I don’t know what to do with all the free
time on my hands. I have pondered this one a lot, and come to the conclusion that
I need to reward my body. In the long term, rest is of great importance, and in this
down-time I try to go for regular massages and take a very easy swim or two in the
pool.
3 Re-finding Yourself: Speaking from personal experience, I have often become
totally lost in my race preparation for a big event, with my life revolving around
sleeping, eating and training. It then takes me a while to take a step back, become
aware of all the things I have missed out on or didn’t get to while in the preparation
stage, and to find ‘me’ outside of race walking. This is when I can catch up with
friends, spend quality time with loved ones, and enjoy luxuries, such as doing ‘girly’
things... like having my nails done!
4 Getting Back Into Gear: When the resting is done and you really feel like
you are going to go crazy if you don’t start training, then I suggest you take the
wonderful Modern Athlete race calendar and start planning your next event – for
the sake of your own sanity, and the safety for those around you. Personally, I start
small after a big event, so that I can just ease back into it slowly, with a shorter
distance race, and then I will go from there to plan bigger.
Last but definitely not least, enjoy yourself as you do it all over again!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Race Walker Anel Oosthuizen is a multiple SA
Champion and Record Holder, and represented SA in the women’s 20km at the
2016 Rio Olympics.
CALM AFTER
THE STORM
you feel the stiff muscles from the day before. Then only will you slowly start to
become aware of what has been done.