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THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE: POST RACE ‘BLUES WORDS: PAUL WATKINS IMAGES: SUPPLIED CW // Mental Health, Depression TRM would like to advise that this article focuses on Paul Watkins’ lived experience, and therefore discusses mental health and depression. We understand that this discussion may be difficult for those in our community who also suffer from these disorders, and have included support services at the end of the article.
YOU’VE TRAINED AS HARD YOU CAN, PUTTING IN THE ALL-CONSUMING WORK TO DEDICATE YOUR ATTENTION TO RUNNING, STRENGTH TRAINING, CROSS TRAINING AND NUTRITION IN A BID TO PREPARE FOR YOUR A RACE. BUT SOMETIMES AFTER YOU CROSS THAT FINISH LINE AND HAVE THE MEDAL AROUND YOUR NECK, A FEELING OF SADNESS CAN SET IN FOR DAYS, WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS. PAUL WATKINS RETELLS HIS TIME GOING THROUGH THE POST RACE ‘BLUES’, AND MAPS OUT SOME STRATEGIES THAT HELPED HIM RECOVER AND IDENTIFY HIS EMOTIONS. 62
