I’ve always taken an “off season”. I think it’s important to take time after the season to relax a bit and allow yourself the freedom of not adhering to a strict training schedule. I encourage my athletes to do the same. Even when I raced Professionally I would take 6-8 weeks of “just doing what I like". This is NOT a time to take off from all activity completely! I see athletes that go from Ironman to absolutely nothing for months on end. This is not the idea of what an off season should be. Instead it should be a time where you stay fit but at a less intense, more relaxed fashion. It’s a great time to try other activities that you may not have had time to do during the season, like yoga, surfing, skiing, climbing, trail running, mountain biking etc. Unstructured swim, bike, and run sessions are important to keep up as well. Remember that consistency is very important when it comes to triathlon. There is no magic when it comes to this. Consistency is key to success! Ceasing to do an activity, other than when you are injured and need the recovery, is NOT recommended. It’s also a great time to reflect on the past season. Write down what went great and what didn’t. Sit down with your coach and decide what needs to be improved upon. Also, it’s a time to find your passion for the next season. I find that this is the difficulty that many athletes have after a big season has finished. Finding the passion or goal for the upcoming season can be difficult. Many get PIMB “Post Ironman Blues”. It’s hard to get the motivation for the upcoming season if you just accomplished the goal of completing an Ironman, something you had been focusing on for a year or even more! It can be a let down. Giving yourself time to reflect upon your past season and giving yourself time to think of another goal that provides a spark of excitement is what the off season is great for...
Finding your new goal is crucial for success for the upcoming season. If Ironman was your main focus last season, maybe your goal for the upcoming season is to get faster in a 70.3, or maybe your goal to podium in local races or to get stronger on the bike. Or maybe this season will be your first Ironman, and if that’s the case than your season should certainly be starting up soon!
Looking at the season from December to September/October can be daunting and long, so I find that breaking it up into 2 seasons is a bit more palatable. Find an “A” race in the summer and possibly another in the fall. This breaks up the season into 2 parts: Part 1) December to June/July for “A” race #1 and then a nice recovery period, then Part 2) June/July-Sept/Oct/November for “A” race #2.
Training can be tough in the winter months. Motivation is at its lowest and training solo can be boring. SO, find people to train with! The Iron Fit Endurance group has started up Saturday trail runs. They have been so much more fun than heading out solo and its a great time for people of all abilities to train together. Programs like Zwift are fantastic for a great quality workout but getting together with others on a mild day for an outside ride, or an inside studio ride is great to sprinkle in too. There's nothing like companionship to spark the motivation and excitement for the upcoming season.
Swimming is a great focus this time of year and getting in with a Masters group is motivating and fun compared to a solo swim. Also, strength training is a great focus this time of year and doing it with others is easy to coordinate and more motivating. I call group workouts “free workouts”. You just have to get yourself there and you have a great workout to look forward to. It requires very little inner motivation and will-power like a solo workout can require. If you need motivation, then do your best to recruit others or join groups when you can. The season will be here before we know it. This is the time to get your self physically and mentally prepared for the training ahead! Find your motivation and purpose now and the rest will fall into place!
Happy Training and racing!
Dee :-)
