I can’t be the only one who tears up watching someone cross the finish line of a marathon. Doesn’t matter if they’re celebrating, limping or crawling, something about that moment just gets me–and I’m not even the one running. So what is actually going through a marathoner’s mind?
Marathoners spend months getting their body ready for a gruelling physical challenge–typically unlike anything they’ve experienced before. And even if you swear you’re not an emotional person, that finish line hits different. The physical exertion, the mental fatigue, the sacrifices–it all boils over. Sometimes it looks like pure joy, while other times it looks like sobbing on the pavement.
But it turns out, there’s actual science explaining why marathons can be such tear-jerkers.
Training is anything but easy
Even before race day, you’re already pushing yourself to the brink. Training–especially for your first marathon–leaves you in a near-constant state of fatigue. Your appetite never seems to be satisfied (meaning more grocery shopping), you’re always playing catch-up when it comes to sleep and your legs simply feel dead.
Getting through that training is mentally and emotionally draining, too. It takes real commitment to get through a 16-week training build, obsessing over fuelling plans and dedicating yourself to perfecting that work-life-training balance. And no matter how much you prepare, when race day finally arrives, it can be chaotic and overwhelming. Not only are you now facing that stress of hitting your race-day goals, you may also be worrying about not having slept well (or at all) the night before and the long lines for the porta-potty.
The chemistry of race day
Once the race is underway, there’s now a jumble of hormones and neurotransmitters messing with your brain and body: serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, BDNF, GABA–all working to help you numb the pain and keep moving. Studies also show that half an hour after a marathon, a runner’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol were found to be equal to those of people undergoing military interrogation–or skydiving.
So, once you cross the finish line–bam. That feeling of accomplishment, combined with the enormity of your accomplishment, hits you–hard. Joy, relief or heartbreak–plus a mix of everything you’ve been holding back over the past 42.2K or throughout the past few months of training. The overall result? Lots of tears.
There’s a reason medical staff line the finishing chute, and that they include licensed mental health professionals. Some runners are injured, some dehydrated or delusional, but some just need someone to talk to. It’s completely normal, warranted, and honestly, very expected.
Marathon Mind
The tears are contagious. Spectators, too, begin to feel the emotions as racers cross the finish line, even if those runners are complete strangers. “Watching the New York Marathon can create a certain connection that leads to you responding emotionally, as you do when you watch certain movies,” Manhattan clinical and sports psychologist Dr. William Wiener told The Post.
Post-race blues
Then, of course, there’s the aftermath. More often than not, runners experience the post-race blues, a result of going from these intense feelings of anticipation building up, to suddenly relaxing and wondering what’s next. It can even happen if the race goes perfectly to plan. But it’s all part of the process, and following a training plan and surrounding yourself with friends, family and teammates can keep you motivated to hit the road once again.
