Have you ever graduated or known someone who graduated from a school, college, university, or other academic institution but never attended the graduation ceremony? Have you ever gotten a new job or known someone who got a new job but never threw a party, went out for dinner, or had some friends over to the home for a small get-together to celebrate the new job? Have you ever earned a huge sales bonus or known someone who earned a huge sales bonus but never bought the boss and colleagues a round of drinks, had a cook-out for them, or bought a nice gift to celebrate the bonus? All of these scenarios are examples of failure to celebrate one's achievements.
And not celebrating one's achievements is a big mistake, for many reasons.
Here are key reasons why it is important to celebrate your finishing a marathon, half marathon, or other endurance race:

• Recognition: Although many outsiders see competing in an endurance race as a solitary activity, the reality is that many other people are involved with supporting you as an endurance racer -- no matter whether it is emotional support, logistical support, training support, or something else.
  And these other people want -- and deserve -- recognition for helping you to finish, especially if you want them to help you with future races!
• Recovery: Celebrating is a form of relaxation.
  Relaxation is crucial for recovery.
  And beginning recovery as soon as possible after an endurance race is crucial to being able to complete another one in the foreseeable future.
  
• Reflection: Celebrating the finish of your endurance race will naturally trigger you to reflect on how the race went and how much you enjoyed it.
  This reflection right after the race will help you to decide whether you want to participate in the race again and whether you would want to participate in other races, if there are any, held by the same organizer.
  
• Reinforcement: As one popular psychologist has often said, "We get what we reward.
  " If you do not use a post-race celebration to reinforce to your unconscious mind that the just-completed endurance race was worthwhile, then you miss an important opportunity to program your unconscious mind to better support your future endurance-racing goals.
  
• Review: A post-race celebration of your finish lets you compare notes with fellow racers and the people who supported you before, during, and after the race.
  You can review what went well, what was okay, and what went poorly.
  And this informal "lessons learned" review with others will help you to identify what to keep and what to change for your next endurance race.
  

So, for all these reasons, be sure to celebrate your finishing each of your endurance races!