Marathon is over now what?

4 months of training are now over and the marathon is in my rear view mirror now.
I allowed myself a day to dwell on that and now I'm focused on my next goal.
Today, at work, I spoke to many of clients about the importance of goal setting and trying to avoid the negative cycles that we are familiar with. It's easy to fall prey to feelings of sadness and this can lead to depression, isolation and apathy. I've seen this not only with the clients that I see at the gym but also within myself at times. I think that's why it's important to constantly have goals that you want to achieve and a plan to achieve them. They don't always have to be long-term goals.
I try to give my clients "homework" to do and this includes keeping a journal of their eating and exercise habits. When we review them together they can see the success they have had and I try to focus them on what they are doing right instead of dwelling on what they didnt' do.
Most of my own goals include running as I feel that this has a positive effect on my "cycle" of thinking. When I run I feel better about myself which in turn allows me to make healthier choices the majority of the time. I don't expect perfection from myself or my clients but if I can get them to make healthy choices the majority of the time then they will have success.
Developing a positive coping mechanism to deal with stress is something that I spend lots of time working with my clients on. Sometimes all they need is a "sounding board" and this can come from close friends or a family member. Other times it is important to do something to take your mind off the stress and that is where exercise can be beneficial. You have to find something that you are passionate about and something that you can channel your energy into. Hopefully it is something that involves some type of physical activity. This can be going for a brisk walk, a bike ride, a visit to the gym or a run (in my case).
I was disappointed, at first over my marathon performance but after doing some soul searching and talking with my friends I'm OK with it now. I will use this as a learning experience and it will only make me stronger as a result.
The key, for me, is to get right back to thing that I love so much and where I find my peace and inner strength and that is back on the road/trails.
Once my body has physically healed (probably tomorrow) I will be back running again. My next goal race is a 50K run in late June in Niagara Falls. I will use this as a training run for my marathon in the fall. I will experiment with different electrolyte supplements to find the right combination that will reduce or eliminate my cramping problems.
Even though my ultimate goal was not achieved on Sunday, I would not have traded all the training I did with Ken as it has made me a stronger and smarter runner as a result.
Whatever your goals are try to keep positive and realize that there will be roadblocks along the way which you will need to overcome. In addition, don't forget to give yourself credit for achieving the mini goals along the way.