Burn out post Ironman

[Marbles]

Consider that you could have pushed into an over trained state and need a low key recovery. Though even if it is just mental, dropping the training load markedly for a month or two will make it harder to find excuses not to do it.

Try to change your focus, the race is not the goal, it is just one more tool to help you meet your goals.

I once got to listen to Sir Herald Kroto, a Noble Prize winner, he said "a Noble Prize is everything, until you have one, then it is nothing."

Basically, achievement is not fulfilling, it is the doing tht brings fulfillment. Too many time we expect to feel complete by the achievement, but my experience has been that after a few days it really means nothing. Plus, I don't care who I or anyone else was, I care who they are.

I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like the achievement was expected to be more meaningful than it has been.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Get back to the fundamentals and with time it will self correct.

How are you doing with the below?
- Relationships: friends - family - God (a simple prayer asking for help goes a long way in my experience)
- Rest: - Sleep - Hormones? - Training modification
- Nutrition - you know what you're doing wrong
- Work - anything you could do better?

Serious question but how would you even know your hormones were off without some sort of an actual test?

 

[Gwchem]

Serious question but how would you even know your hormones were off without some sort of an actual test?

You do exactly that. Find a good PCP or endocrinologist who runs a full panel for you. That's how I found out my thyroid stopped working.

 

[WanderingFarmer]

Lots of directions to consider in this thread, but I’ll add a couple.

In one of John Carpenters books ( Either, Once a Runner or Again To Carthage, I forget) There’s a bit of advice from a former Olympian to an aspiring runner to “Live like a clock”.

I’ve found it useful to work through those post-event lows by staying with a training regimen, often with a changed focus and always with a reduced intensity. Wake up, train, keep going with my day. After an Ironman, you might consider some focused strength training and ease into it for a few weeks. Your event is over but you don’t have to completely check out.

You might enjoy those books if you haven’t read them, classics in sports fiction.

Another thing to consider, the toll of an event like that is much deeper than many people realize and in my case ( and my family who has all done extreme endurance stuff) there’s a period of mental and emotional recovery well. I’ve done enough stuff that’s in the “stupid long” category where I know that I’m going to feel some deep emotional lows on the 2nd and 3rd day afterwards, and even much longer if there was a long and heavy training block leading into race day. You’re an individual, so it might be different for you, I’m just sharing an observation based on a combined 70ish years of experience in my immediate family.

If you’ve done an Ironman, it’s probably fair to assume you enjoy training somewhat. Don’t give that enjoyment up. Dial down the intensity, keep going, and live like a clock.

Good luck, and if it’s real bad, talk to the people who care about you.

 

[Jebel]

Sobriety is back on the struggle

Consider asking your doctor to prescribe a daily prescription for Naltrexone.

Naltrexone

Intramuscular extended release naltrexone is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat both opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Naltrexone can be prescribed and administered by any practitioner licensed to prescribe medications and is...

www.samhsa.gov

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Nobody Cares about your struggles.

Nobody Cares you are burnt out.

^not my words

(Read the Book (or listen to it)). You’ll see what I mean.


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[lhbackcountry]

a lot of great points and books to read. Glad i decided to raise the question.

Rok on.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Nobody Cares about your struggles.

Nobody Cares you are burnt out.

^not my words

(Read the Book (or listen to it)). You’ll see what I mean.


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How is this book? I've read Goggins first book and the enjoyed it but didn't see a reason to read his 2nd. Any different angles than Goggins? Not a big fan of Cam but admire his drive and accomplishments.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

It’s pretty good. Talks about working out, grinding, running, hunting, etc.

Gives ya a lil motivation

I read a few books at a time, so I’m 2 years into it (lol) and about 80% through it.

Prob somewhat similar to Goggins book (haven’t read it but Cam talks about him and I know a lil about him).

I hardly ever buy new books - always used on eBay or Amazon so I bought this one when my buddy suggested it.


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[DuckDogDr]

not to hijack the thread but what are y’all using for training programs for these ?

 

[lhbackcountry]

not to hijack the thread but what are y’all using for training programs for these ?

Training peaks with Garmin watch makes any of those programs super easy to upload to your phone / watch etc

 

[lhbackcountry]

It’s pretty good. Talks about working out, grinding, running, hunting, etc.

Gives ya a lil motivation

I read a few books at a time, so I’m 2 years into it (lol) and about 80% through it.

Prob somewhat similar to Goggins book (haven’t read it but Cam talks about him and I know a lil about him).

I hardly ever buy new books - always used on eBay or Amazon so I bought this one when my buddy suggested it.


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I did read both those books but the John carpenters were both ordered after recommending here.

 

[Loper]

OP First off, congrats on the full IM! That is something I’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done. Both my sister and brother in law have completed them and I admire them for it.

I ran another marathon in late 2023. About 2 months before the race I got plantar favoritism again and just grinded it out the last remaining weeks of my training and told myself that I’d take some time off after the race. My body was pretty wore out in the weeks leading up to and after the race. Id go to the gym and do a ton of stretching but didn’t have my next goal planned out to work towards. 2024 has been very difficult for me as far as establishing a routine and staying consistent with workouts. I wish I had put another race or target on the calendar and that is what I’m planning on doing here in 2025. I’ve realized that like others have said, I need a goal or objective to focus on. I do enjoy the journey of training, but that training needs to lead to something (more than just a hunt in the mountains each year.). If I have a goal and want to be in peak shape for it, I’ll do more than just exercise, I eat a lot cleaner, will just drink water, and will get better sleep.

if your next challenge is coaching or helping someone else reach the Ironman goal, let me know as that may be the motivation I need to get back on track.

 

[Loper]

How is this book? I've read Goggins first book and the enjoyed it but didn't see a reason to read his 2nd. Any different angles than Goggins? Not a big fan of Cam but admire his drive and accomplishments.

I’ve read both books and liked both. Goggins book I read twice (probably the only book I’ve ever read twice). I’ll probably read Cam’s book again. I usually sell or donate books after I read them, but I’ll keep these.

Cam’s book is similar where he talks a bit about how he grew up. He also mentions a few other people that he admires and has trained with, one of which is Goggins. He also, talks about hunting too which is interesting.

 

[COJoe]

Lifestyle instead of goals has helped me greatly the past three years. And even in that, my lifestyle has been adjusted and refined as I learn more about what is health overall. Backpack hunting for elk with a blown out L-5 disc is what motivated me to change to a lifestyle of eating right (animal based diet for me), working out three times a week and hikes but most importantly, as has been mentioned, my personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my peace and my rock I stand on for His grace to get through my days.

My lifestyle has enabled me to be a better person, more productive at work, more available for my role at our local church and to be strong mentally for my role as a police chaplain. As for your sobriety, check out the thread listed above for quitting alcohol here on Rokslide. It's a very honest confession from many of your fellow Roksliders who have gone through some of the same trials and struggles as you. Even in a lifestyle, if you're tired, rest for that day, it's ok. Use it to spend time with your wife and family. Also, lifestyles are conatgious so maybe you're wife will come on board with it also. Blessing on your Christmas and New years.

 

[ORJoe]

It's biathlon season, maybe give that a try.

 

[schmalzy]

I struggle with this too, but I’ve found it’s easy for me to start taking myself too seriously and getting in a lull like you discussed.

Laughter and adventure, done in conjunction with faith, is what works for me. Easy to say, little harder to do. Great friends are irreplaceable for this. Give yourself some credit and at the same time laugh at yourself a little bit.

A new hobby that utilizes the fitness and discipline you’ve developed may be a good place to start.

Cheering for you.


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[Brendan]

I've been doing a lot of Biking over the last couple of years. Leadville in '23 and '24. A bunch of other marathon length events. Sea Otter, Unbound, and Leadville in '25. Training volume gets into the 15-20 hour a week range for me during the season if it isn't a rest week. (Side note, it's cut into my hunting time for sure and made me in "worse" hunting shape, but I'm okay with that short term.)

After the season I NEED at least a couple weeks 100% off and away from the bike. Then I try to get back on and do some fun stuff. Enjoy it. Ride the MTB, get ready for hunting season, start cross training again. And I throw in as much lower intensity / easier volume as I feel like to keep from starting to lose too much fitness, but losing some fitness is basically part of the plan. You need to recover.

For me, I put my 2025 goals on the calendar and having the 2025 plans out there is part of the carrot for me, I need something to look forward to for that motivation. And, in the winter months, sometimes having a bike on the trainer where I can just zone out and watch hunting movies and netflix isn't a bad way to get a workout in.

TLDR - Rest Up, but try and do SOMETHING after a couple weeks off, then find out what you want to look forward to in 2025.

 

[Mosby]

So i made a goal about two years ago to get back in shape and decided my midlife crisis goal would be a full Ironman bc hunting doesn’t take enough time as is. Well fast forward and i completed it and two months later lost all progress i made in basically 20 odd months. Sobriety is back on the struggle ( i blame family, holidays, and mostly myself ) and curious what has worked for y’all to snap these lows

Santa ( my therapist) said I’ll get a new lefty 223 tikka if i open up to friends.

Get yourself a hunting dog. Dog training and competing with dogs in hunts tests, etc is fun and it gives you something to do on a daily basis. Bird hunting is also a lot of fun....and something you can do when you don't draw tags. Dogs are therapeutic and provide companionship and emotional support. Dogs help fill the gaps that a lot of people have in their life.

 

[lhbackcountry]

Get yourself a hunting dog. Dog training and competing with dogs in hunts tests, etc is fun and it gives you something to do on a daily basis. Bird hunting is also a lot of fun....and something you can do when you don't draw tags. Dogs are therapeutic and provide companionship and emotional support. Dogs help fill the gaps that a lot of people have in their life.

Absolutely agree. I’ve also already gone through this with my current lab 9yr old. We have hunted over 10 states together chasing birds. So it just might be time for her to get a sibling