Off-Season Cycling - A Different Kind of Plan

The other week I stumbled upon, and joined, the Ironman Lake Placid 2016 Group on Facebook. I figured what the heck, a little voyeurism might be fun, as I am always interested to see what others are doing. I wasn't sure what exactly to expect. Worse case I simply ignore it. What I did find has been interesting.

For those of you who might not know, IMLP is a July event, meaning we are 9 months from race day. If you have read any of my recent posts you know that I have been doing more exercise than training for more than a month now. Realistically, my only goal these days is to get in good enough shape to start training on January 4th without fear of injuring myself. The bar has not been set very high around these parts.

Back to the Facebook group. What I have found is an interesting group of people who appear to be training much different than I am right now. For example, On Sunday I saw a post from someone who did a 90 minute session on his bike trainer. This morning I read from more than one person who ran outside, pre-dawn, in the rain. And while I have no idea where the rain runners are located, for December I find that to be pretty darn hardcore and worthy of a Rule #7 shout out.

(For the record, it was raining and 38 degrees when I woke up this morning. I did workout. Inside. One of my long standing rules is I will not run outside in the rain in December when I am training for nothing. Running this time of year is purely for pleasure.)

For the past 8 weeks (and the next 5) I have been following what has become my fairly simple off-season bicycle protocol. I came to this about the time I started to get serious about triathlon based on two simple conclusions. First, I quickly recognized that being able to have a better than average bike split without over cooking the legs was one of the keys to putting up fast times. Our sport is swim/bike/run, not swimming and biking and running. Nobody gets a trophy for the best swim split or the fastest mile run. You get a trophy for crossing the finish line faster than the next guy.

The other conclusion I have come to is you cannot just go full throttle year round. On the bike I dial it back after my last triathlon of the season, then take a month or so of very little riding.

So here's how it has laid out on the back half of 2015:

October - My last "real" ride of the year was with the LWM Monday Night A-ride on September 28. I had planned on making it out to Kenny's last ride of the year the following week but work obligations kept that from being possible. The rest of the month consisted of five rides outside and a few short, easy spins on the trainer, mostly to just loosen up the legs. In a very real sense October was an off month.

November - The weather was warmer than normal this year allowing me to get outside to ride every weekend. The longest ride was 23 miles and I stayed on flat terrain and kept the heart rate low. Riding outside had more to do with enjoyment of being on two wheels not gaining fitness. What differed from October is the number of times I jumped on my trainer. After two weeks of almost no exercise at all, the final two weeks of the month saw me not only on the trainer, but actually putting in some work. A nice transition to what I have planned for December.

I have a number of go to workouts and decided to use the 10 x (1 min hard + 1 min recovery) as the perfect transitional workout to getting back into training again. Just enough work to feel like I did something, but not so much to kill my mojo. Best of all, with warm up and cool down the workouts were only 40 minutes long!!!

December - This month is really about getting some bike fitness back into my legs. Weekends will be spent outside (weather permitting) on either the road bike or the mountain bike with the simple goal of logging saddle time. One day a week - then eventually twice a week - I will get a short, high intensity session in on the trainer. The goal here is to start rebuilding my high end during the week as I regain some of my endurance base on the weekends.

Like I said, pretty simple but very different from what I have done in the past. After months of hard riding the body needs a break as does the mind. With early fall running races on my schedule I backed off the bike, riding for pleasure and recovery, before taking some real downtime from triathlon training. From there I am/will be slowly rebuilding bike fitness and strength in a way that keeps me from burning out or spending too many mind-numbing hours on the trainer.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

I'm Making the Most of My Triathlon Downtime, and So Should You

It has been more than three weeks since my last race of the season and the start of my off season. In my last post I laid out what I hoped to accomplish while taking some downtime from the grind of training for racing. What I really mean to say is I had some goals for my downtime, which just sounds weird to say because, you know, I'm not training for anything. Having goals for downtime is very much a Type-A issue.

But really it isn't as crazy as it may sound at first. If you are an endurance athlete, or a competitive athlete, you know it's not so simple. It is damn near impossible to just walk away for 1-2 months and completely forget about your running, or biking, or cross-fit, or whatever it is you are competitive in. More to my point, just chilling on the couch is probably the worst thing you can do. You lose the fitness gained over the year and you don't fix whatever problems that need fixing. Downtime is downtime yet it is so much more.

Three weeks into "doing nothing" has felt pretty good so far. I am doing what I want, not forcing anything on myself, and embracing having less fitness. Just this week I started to feel like adding a bit of structure to a workout or two, which in the past has always been a good indicator of where I am physically and mentally. I am making progress in three areas - fixing the body, getting the mind ready, getting strong.

Fix the Body

This is the #1 reason I take downtime. I'm a 46 year old man who has been competing in long endurance events for almost 20 years now. Prior to that I was a guy rat who could squat and deadlift A LOT of weight. Hard to believe now, but back in the day I would give my body a beat down, just a different form than what I do today. In athletic years I am quite old.

With athletic age comes issues. Fortunately for me most all of mine have been small. I fix them with my Body Work Team, which consists of my Chiropractor Kyle Werkheiser and my massage therapist Joe Przybylowicz (pronounced: Pro-bill-o-wick). I have been to Kyle twice and Joe three times since racing the RnR Philly 1/2 Marathon October 31st. The tightness in my back and the little niggles I had in my legs are just about gone.

Mental Break From "Training"

Getting out to the track and knocking out some mile repeats or doing some Vo2Max bike intervals are awesome, but one of my favorite runs is an early morning run on my "home course" (a 7.6 mile loop) at whatever pace is comfortable. There is no internal pressure to run a pace, nor any preconceived notions about what needs to be achieved. It is running for the joy of running. It is the reason why I got involved with this spot to begin with.

The past three weeks have been nice. After 4 days completely off and barely doing anything the final three days of the week, I have slowly increased the amount of swim/bike/run I have been doing. Nothing is forced; nothing is hard. Just doing what feels right. Last week a "real" swim workout felt right so I pushed a little ... just a little. This week I did a more formal workout. Six weeks ago physically I could do more in the pool but mentally it was hard. Last week the work set kinda sucked, but an enjoyable suck.

Strength Training

If you are an old man like me the only way to can really continue to race fast - or fast for you - is to hold onto your strength. Fortunately I enjoy this part. In 2015 I did a good job in-season in maintaining a strength base. Now that I'm back at it more regularly I'm pushing weight I haven't done in years. Along with traditional strength work I mix in functional strength training. This should pay dividends come next summer in the buildup for Ironman Lake Placid.

Even if you're not an "old guy" you should still embrace the weights. It can be traditional weight training or functional strength work, whichever you are more comfortable with. You will feel better, hold more muscle mass, and keep the body strong.

Swimming 

The best time of the year to work on your swim is right now. Outside is dark and cold. You have no race commitments to train for. You have extra time as you aren't training all that much.

Over the years I have transformed myself from a very mediocre swimmer to a pretty good "non-swimmer." I will never be able to hang with the guy who joined a club team at age 4 and had a college swim scholarship. Yet come race day my swim is usually in the top 7 to 10%, no matter what distance I race. The gains I made came from the work I put in in November, December and January over a period of 4-5 years. With the emphasis on swimming and not running or biking I could get to the pool 5 days a week. And that is real, not, "I was gong to get to the pool but blah, blah excuse," but actual pool time!

Right now I am just starting to ramp up swim volume. I am not behind by any means as I don't need/desire to start putting in solid yardage until January. As long as I continue to slowly up the volume and intensity for the next five weeks all will be well. As I am feeling some motivation to be in the pool these days I have no reason to believe I won't be where I want to be at the start of the new year.

What's Next?

I do have two races on the schedule in the coming weeks. Tomorrow (Thanksgiving) I will be in Nazareth at the annual Pumpkin Pie 5k preemptively burning off the pie I will consume later in the day. I will be running with The Mayor and not racing. This has been on the schedule for years as a fun run for me. Same plan at the Christmas City 5 Miler on December 12th. Both these races support good causes. Both have been a tradition of mine for years.

Other than that, I'll be letting my body dictate what I do while slowly getting back into training.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Well, I Guess the Off-Season is Coming to an End ... Maybe

January - the beginning of  the year to normal human beings, the beginning of a "new season" to endurance athletes - is here. I know this not because I have looked at the calendar, but because I took a peak at both my scale and heart rate monitor last week and noticed the numbers are a tad bit higher than they were a few months ago. If I were a lot of other people I might find this tragic. Both numbers indicate I am "out of shape" ... or "fat" ... or OMG BOTH!!!!

Tragic .............

Or not so much .............

The whole idea of an off-season is built on the assumption that there is an IN-season, or a time where you are shooting for (your) peak fitness. And peak fitness, by definition, is something you cannot hold onto for very long. Peak fitness is why you ask yourself how you ever did a marathon or Ironman three weeks ago when today a 5 mile run feels hard.

Getting "out of shape" enables the body to do two things: destress (is that even a word?) and heal itself. Over the course of months of hard training the body starts to get nicked up at the micro level, regardless of your awareness or denial of the situation. Taking some down time allows the body to heal the trauma it has had to endure while simultaneously keeping the athlete (you) from pushing yourself further down the path to injury. We all on some level believe we are the exception and can beat our bodies endlessly without repercussion, but deep down we should all know this is just not true. The desire to keep pushing and not back off is more about our own insecurities ("I'll lose my fitness forever") or simply ego.

Circling back to me, I feel like the off-season has been a success. After peaking for Ironman Florida on November 1 I stopped training and cut way back on the amount of exercise I do on a daily/weekly basis. The result of all this is I have had more free time on my hands, I have slept more, read more books, and have given my body a chance to heal itself after a rather interesting year. The other side has been the 7-8 pounds I have put back on along with the loss of pure fitness that comes with more couch time.

Right now at the beginning of the new year I feel good. Mentally I am fresh; Physically I am starting to come around. After a week of doing nothing, followed by a few weeks of doing close to nothing, I have slowly morphed back into a general routine. I have a rule for the month of December where I only do what I want to do, when I want to do it. So if I don't feel like getting up and going for a run, I stay in bed. If I get up then decide I would prefer to read and stretch instead of sitting on the trainer, I read and stretch.  In the past few weeks the desire to do more has been there.

The one consistent over the past few months has been the move back into the weight room, something I quite enjoy. A year ago my goal was to get stronger for the 2014 triathlon season, which never happened due to injury followed by surgery. I am very happy with being able to race like I did in 2014, but never felt like I physically was where I wanted to be. Last year became more about getting back than moving forward. For 2015 the goal of being a stronger, better athlete remains.

SOOooooo here we are the first full week of the new year and time to start some serious training ... or maybe not. For 2015 I am almost 100% sure I am not going long (read: no Ironman) and not even sure about the 70.3 distance (other than racing Eagleman in support of my buddy Ant). I have never concentrated on shorter racing - Sprint and Olympic distances - or doing some straight up bike racing. Realistically I'm starting to get freaking old, which mean if I want to get a fast season in I need to do it sooner rather than later. And if I want to race my bike, no better time than the present.

I haven't given a whole lot of thought to my race schedule other than targeting the Philly Triathlon as my A-race for the fist half of the year. Being that it is the last weekend in June, January seems a bit early to start cranking things up. No need to be "in shape" in February or March.

Bottom line: Yeah, I'm back in the rhythm of working out but not real serious. For now, sessions will be short and intensity moderate at best. There will be a time to start cranking. That time is not now.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Don't Panic ... It's the Off-Season

For most serious or semi-serious endurance athletes there is a goal race (the "A" race) that a season is focused on. This could be an Ironman and a try for a Kona slot, or it could be stepping up to the 1/2 marathon distance for the first time. Whatever your big race is, the question always arrives: What do I do now? How do I train once all the training for the year has been done?

Welcome to the off-season. 

A little bit of this ain't such a bad thing.

There are a number of approaches that people take to the end of season. Some, just continue on after a short break or no break while others make their couch and a beer their new best "training partners" for a few months. There is a middle ground between these extremes, of course, and I fall squarely into that middle ground. Hell, I believe in having a true off-season so much I made it a part of The Rules (specifically Rule #11). If you follow the link you can get a bit more in detail, let's break it down into three words - Fat, Dumb and Happy.

Fat - After a season of racing the body needs a break away from rigors of trying to reach peak fitness. Putting on a few pounds this time of year is not only likely (think Thanksgiving pie and Xmas cookies), it is suggested. Staying at race weight year round puts undue stress on the body. Check the ego, do what's right for your long-term health.

Dumb - No, I'm not saying go out and do something stupid. What I'm saying is, no matter how good or bad your year turned out, now's the time to let it go and just get some easy training in for the sake of training. What happened happened. Let. It. Go. And while you're at it, forget about structure, and intervals, and data file, and anything else that makes you think about your past racing or the racing you will do in the coming year. For a few weeks do what you want, when you want to do it. Your body will tell you when it is time to start thinking about getting serious again.

Happy - This is a different kind of happy from that which you get from a 5k PR or finally getting the Strava KOM you have been trying for all summer. This is the happy you get from a little r&r; the happy you get from an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning; the happy you get from a ride with friends where you enjoy hanging out on the quiet back roads without concern for your average pace or how far you went. All that stuff you neglect because you have a 20 mile run to do at 6 am on Saturday morning? Yeah, that.

With that said, if your goal is to be better in 2015, there are things that can and should be taken care of during the downtime. Everyone is different, but there are some things that are universal. Here's my list of constructive things to do during your down time:

Heal Those Little Injuries - That little niggle in your calf? Give it time. Same for the tight hamstring or shoulder. Take the time to do what is necessary to feel 100% going into your base training phase.

Strengthen Up the Body - If you trained and raced hard you have broken your body down to some degree. hit the weight room, start taking a TRX class, or start doing the core work you "didn't have time for" the past few months.

Like this but different.

Let the Mind Relax - Peaking for a race takes mental focus. Racing hard takes mental toughness. Give yourself a break or risk being checked out mentally when you really need to be there next year.

Embrace the Non-Training Side of Life - If this isn't self explanatory I really can't help you.

Plan for Next Season - If you consider yourself a triathlete, a cyclist, a runner, or any kind of endurance athlete your personality almost certainly runs somewhere from Type A to obsessive Type A. If you have actually managed to take some downtime you need something sport related to fill your head. Set your goals, determine your limiters, research what you need to do to get better, and plan out your race season.

____________

For me these down weeks are different than in years past. After sustaining a knee injury I never completely gave the injury a chance to really rest. With an Ironman on the schedule I returned to the pool and riding in less than two weeks after surgery. Running took some more time to ramp back up, but by Summer I was back building mileage. I made it to Florida ready to race, but now I need to give the body proper care. Here's what I expect to be doing during the off-season, into the early part of 2015:

Unlike years past I will NOT be doing any racing for an extended period of time. Will I be at the Pumpkin Pie race on Thanksgiving? Yes, weather permitting. Will I be racing the Pumpkin Pie race on Thanksgiving? No, no, no, no, no. Plan is to participate and support a good cause. (Imagine that!!!) There are some other races I might participate in ... after all, it's a great excuse to grab some breakfast with friends!!! Participate is the key word.

As I tried to do last off season I will be focusing in on getting stronger. Over the years I have been a high volume guy, building up as much aerobic endurance as I could. Twelve months ago I came to the conclusion that my strength had become more of a limiter than anything else, so strength workouts were on the agenda. Once circumstances changed what I could and could not do, I did what I could. So heading into 2015 I will be focused on something I wanted to concentrate on in 2014.

As I have always done I will continue to focus on longevity in sport. I really, really enjoy swimming, biking, running and competing. I did my first race, the Chili Pepper 5k in 1995 (still have the unwearable, heavy cotton t-shirt) with not a major injury for almost 19 years. I have been the guy who is always there for training runs/rides. Consistent because I remained healthy. Not doing too many stupid things has helped, but focusing on health and wellness during this time of year is a huge contributing factor.

I will be ramping up much slower than I have in years past once the new year is upon us. It makes no sense to be in 5k or marathon shape in February when the races I care about will be much later in the year. I have a few goals I would like to hit next year and can't be concerned with the noise or wear that comes with a long race season.

I will be planning my 2015. Change is good and 2015 is looking like it will be a bit different than year's past. 2014 turned out to be a much different year than planned, but a good year nonetheless. The challenge I faced was not the one I expected. The unexpected twist has inspired me for the new year. I want to stick with some of the old but add a few new twists into the equation. Not much more to say about this right now.

As for the official start of my training year? Meet me for the annual mountain run on New Year's Eve day to see just how Fat, Dumb, and Happy I've become.

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule #11: When It's Time to Take an Off-Season, Take an Off-Season

Rule #11: When It's Time to Take an Off-Season, Take an Off-Season

For longer than I can remember, I have a New Year's Eve run that I do with anyone who is open to running it with me. It is a 10 mile out-and-back which starts and ends at Sand Island in Bethlehem. Unlike a normal run on the trail, this run travels over South Mountain with a total of 3.5 miles of serious climbing. A great run to talk about for sure, but the main reason we started the tradition has nothing to do with "starting the new year off right" and everything to do with off-season training.

Seems really strange that I would be writing about the off-season rule here in early September as I prepare myself for a half Ironman and my A-race (Ironman Florida) in less than two months time. Here it is crunch time and what rule do I whip out of my back pocket? Take an Off Season.

You might just start to think my head isn't in the game ...

I assure you, my head is in the game. I write this now as I have had a number of conversations with friends who, like me, are prepping for their big race of the year who, quite frankly, fear the off season. Do they fear the lack of training structure? Maybe ... but probably not.

Me thinks that what the fear is all about is fitness. Or more to the point, losing some fitness.

Before I go on I want to make two things perfectly clear. First, when I talk about the off-season I make a distinction between off-season and early season. The off-season is designed to heal the body and get your mental mojo back. The early season is about base building, building strength and skills, and consistent training. For me, the off-season is generally the time from my last race of the year to about Christmas. The early season is from New Years Day through the end of March. If you don't live on the East Coast, the timing of your off-season could be different than mine.

Second, when I talk about losing fitness it is a relative thing. After completing Ironman Florida on November 1 I will be taking my down time. Come January 1, I promise you that I will be in no shape to complete an Ironman. I'll still be able to swim and bike and run, just not as fast and as far as I could on November 1, when I should be in peak condition for the year.

And I am good with it. Been doing this for years without issue. In fact, it makes the early part of the year feel great as I can feel the fitness coming back.

Seriously. No bull$hit. It's really true.

Still, I can feel your skepticism seeping through the computer screen. It is hard, for the most part, to just stop training. Which, really isn't NOT Training ... it's just not nearly as much volume as you have become addicted accustomed to doing.  And really, when compared to the average human being, is still quite a bit of training. Still, you fear losing all that fitness you gained over the last 10+ months of training AND YOU ARE SURE IT'S NEVER COMING BACK. EVER!!!

So here's the deal: when you stop training like an animal you will lose fitness. But, and this is a big but, if you allow yourself to get "out of shape," taking the time to concern yourself with health and well-being as opposed to just race fitness, your body will heal itself and you will come back stronger in your next training cycle.

Here are the rules for a true off-season:

• Continue to workout, just not structured or on too regular a basis. If you feel like getting up and doing something, do it. If not, go back to sleep.
• Train different than you do in-season. When you do train, swimming is better than biking and biking is better than running, although maintaining a base level of running is important. The less stress you put on the joints the better.
• Strength train. This is the best time of year to strengthen up the body and work on any weaknesses you may have.
• Keep intensity low. Remember those social runs you used to take? All runs should be social (or social paced).
• Gain some weight. Yeah, you heard me, gain some weight. Staying at your race weight year round is great for the ego but isn't so good for the body. Come January 1 I will be 5-10 pounds heavier than I was on the morning of my A race.
• Work on your nutrition. Yes, it is more than OK to partake in holiday festivities, but that doesn't mean your diet should go to complete crap. If there is something you have been thinking about changing - going Paleo, eating more vegetables, whatever - now is a good time to start integrating it into your routine.  
• Do non-triathlon/sports related activities. Take the extra time you have from lower training volume and do things you don't normally have time for, like reading, writing or taking care of things around the house (Note to The Queen: please don't read this to mean that I should be doing things around the house).
• Plan out your new year of training/racing. While your training load is low and you have extra time on your hands, reflect back on your past year and look forward to the next race season. Are there any destination races you are ready to check off the bucket list? A new distance you want to step up to? What limiters held your performance back and need to be addressed? 

What the off-season comes down to is balancing the desire to continue to hammer your body and the desire to become a lazy bum. You will continue to workout, just at lower volume and intensity, and not so regimented. Keep in mind, even when you are "barely training" you are probably more active than the average human being.

In reality what I have found is that in the first few weeks after my final race of the year it is easy to get back into the gym for strength training while the desire to swim is about zero, and sitting on my bike in the basement isn't going to happen. Running easy and short is a pleasure as it is running for pure pleasure of running. If I can get outside on the bike on a weekend I'm good as well. By about day 30 my desire to train starts to come back and things get more consistent. I do make sure that I'm not overdoing it, which is kinda a strange thing in this sedentary world we live in. By the time Ryan Seacrest is standing in Times Square rockin' in the New Year I'm asleep on the couch ready both physically and mentally to get back into that training routine.

Getting back to the New Year's Eve run ... that run has never been about just starting the New Year out right or anything like that. I may have said that out loud to people. If I did it was a lie. Really, what that run represents is the chance to go out and see just how out of shape I am to start the early season. Some years I can run up both sides without stopping to walk, while other years have been a bit of a disaster. Either way, I know where I'm at.

Moral of the story: If it is the end of your race year, it is time to rest!!!

Thanks for reading.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Related Posts:

Rule#1: Hard is Hard, Easy is Easy

Rule #2: Be Consistent

Rule #3: Don't Become a Slave to Sports Technology

Rule #4: The 20 Minute Rule

Rule #5: Harden the F#$k Up

Rule #6: Don't be "That Guy" ... NOBODY likes him

Rule #7: If You Are Out Training in Horrible Weather, You Are a Badass. Period.

Rule #8: Don't Think, Free the Mind and the Legs Will Follow

Rule #9: When You Train or Race, Dress Event Appropriate

Rule #10:  It Doesn't Suck, It's a Challenge, It's an Opportunity

Off-Season Training Done ... Bring on 2014

After completing the Philadelphia Marathon on November 17th I consciously shut down my training and racing in a very real way with a simple goal - refresh the body and mind. For the first time in a long time the plan was to embrace the off season. I have a big agenda for 2014 (separate post for that) and I wanted to make sure I started the year in a good place, ready to put in the work.

In order to put the Type-A personality aside I had to consciously deal with the reality of being "out of shape," a bit heavier, and without the endorphins associated with my normal workout routine. And deal with it I did. As I write this, I am nowhere near peak fitness and five pounds heavier than I was six weeks ago. So, congratulations to me, I can successfully get out of shape!!! As for the feel-goodness that comes from training ... let's just say I'm ready to get out there and get 'er done.

Source: www.illustriationsource.com

But just getting "out of shape" wasn't the point. The point was to get ready for racing in 2014. These six weeks were not just the end of 2013  but also the beginning of 2014. There were four things I wanted to accomplish in my down time - heal the body, take a mental break, get other stuff done, get stronger. How did I do?

Letting the body heal itself - With one exception my body feels better than it has in a few years. My legs are the exact opposite of heavy; most all of the minor aches and pains have gone away; I haven't needed the services of my chiropractor for 5+ weeks and counting. Even the shoulder strain that happened while moving a desk at work in late November is long gone. The problem is, the one exception is a recurring calf issue that has me away from running for almost two weeks now. It's a whole lot better but not 100%. Thus, I'm not running and will continue to fight the urge to run until it is completely healed. Better to miss a few weeks of running in December and January than in April or May. Due to injury I give myself an Off Season Mark of C.

Taking a mental break - For 5 weeks I trained when I felt like it with little or no intensity. I swam a little, ran a little, and rode outside whenever I could. Last week I started to get it together and did keep to a truncated training week schedule. On Thanksgiving morning I ran the Pumpkin Pie 5k in 27:xx, with no Garmin and no heart rate monitor. The only "mistake" of too much intensity was at the xMas City 5 Mile Run where I ran faster than I promised myself I would. It didn't feel bad and it was maybe 90 seconds slower than I could have done if I really pushed it. Being that I am ready to get to work, I give myself an Off Season Mark of A.

Getting other stuff done - I'm a pack rat. For years I've held onto stuff that I really didn't need to and this off season I changed most (some) of that. Over the past six weeks I went through the mess in the basement closet and got rid of a lot of the unnecessary clutter. Along with the cleanup I managed to read a few books, get caught up on my Feedly read list, visited the Weavers Way Co-op Grocery Store, better organize my digital life, got my money's worth of my Netflix subscription, and get caught up on my sleep. Not everything I want to do, but more than I realistically expected. Off Season Mark - A

Time to focus like it's game 7 of the World Series

Get strong - A few days after the marathon I got back into the gym and started the process of rebuilding some strength. As a former gym rat doing this has never been a problem. Over these last 6 weeks I have slowly increased the workload, sticking with mainly the big, multi-joint exercises. I'm stronger than I was last year at this time and almost back to where I was in 2013 when the strength work took a back seat to more specific triathlon training. Off Season Mark - A+

Overall - Starting the year feeling genuinely refreshed is a good feeling.This calf thing is a real bitch. I really find that I'm fighting my inner urge to just start training, assuming that it will just work itself out. Because that always works. Overall Off Season Mark - A-.

So here we sit at the beginning of 2014 and I enter my base training feeling really good, but not yet running. While it sucks, I'm trying to be ok with it. It feels like taking a step backwards will help me move forward and reach my racing goals this year. Time to focus like Andy Pettitte in Game 7 of the World Series.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Off Season Update

It's been almost one month since I started my off season and things are going well. For once I have decided to embrace it and can honestly say that I have lost some fitness, gained a little weight, and caught up on the sleep I had been neglecting. I have also gotten some of the stuff I had been putting off completed ... but not nearly as much as I (or The Queen) would like.

Weavers Way Bulk Bin Maddness

Quick side note: I did have the time to head down to Philly last week for a gathering of local co-ops as a representative of the Bethlehem Food Co-op and visit the Weavers Way Grocery Food Coop. Neat little store with really, really awesome bulk bin section (which was really the entire upstairs). The selection was amazing. Can't wait to get our store up and running in Bethlehem. If you are interested in keeping your food spend local, supporting your community farmers, and/or higher quality food for your family, you should check out our website, come to a meeting, then become a member.

The one big problem I have this time of year - even when I'm faking an off season - is a lack of focus. I love my routine, which means I fall apart when I don't have a clear, well-packed agenda when I wake in the morning. But maybe it's a good thing that I'm as relaxed about it as I am ... maybe that's the point.

Physically I'm feeling pretty good. Most all of the nagging little things have gone away and the legs have some life in them. The one little hitch has been the strain in my right shoulder, a result of moving some furniture last week. While it sucks, at least it happened in December and not January.

I've also been enjoying my time back in the weight room. Yes, there are some who feel that strength and power needs to be developed specifically for the bike or the run, which is an argument for another time. What I will say is, I believe in the power of straight-up strength training, the basic, multi-joint exercises variety. No better way to get stronger and add power than some good old fashion squatting and deadlifting. As a side benefit, both these exercises, when performed correctly, are probably the best way to build core strength.

Anyway, my training has been sticking with the plan and rules I laid out here. I haven't raced since Philly and don't plan on racing until February. Mileage has been low as has the intensity. And yes, I have been training outside in the cold weather, caught the snow storm on Tuesday (both by choice), but I have avoided the cold rain and have avoided riding outside for weeks.

Swimming has been completely put on hold due to the shoulder strain. I really haven't been consistent in the pool since September, lacking motivation, so this really wasn't a big deal ...until it was a big deal. Funny how this works. Now that being out of the pool isn't by choice, the motivation to swim has started to come back. I'm now thinking of the injury/timeout of the water as a good thing.

Starting this week my training volume will slowly increase into the new year. My plan is to put in a solid run base starting in January, so, by design, the next few weeks will see most of the increased volume go to the run. Any biking I've done has either been on my $400 mountain bike, in a spin class (believe it or not), or some easy spinning on the trainer. Hopefully I will be back in the pool next week for some short, easy yardage.

As usual, we are planning on welcoming in the new year by running South Mountain on December 31. I think this is the 12th time, maybe. Always a lot of fun, with the added benefit of knowing just how out of shape you've become over the holiday season. The run is about 10 miles, starting at Sand Island. The loop takes you over the mountain via Hayes Street, through the Stabler arena area, then back over on Mountain Drive South. If you are local and are interested in the deets let me know.

Finally, Mrs. Claus had her annual visit to Casa de Soden with the annual cookie delivery. And when I say cookies, I'm talking 86 varieties made from scratch, freshly baked two days ago. I question my ability to make a batch of cookies from a mix and she does all of this. Always appreciated at home, then by the Magellan Financial crew at work.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon

Embracing the Off Season (or How to Not Screw Up Next Year Today)

One week ago I ran my last race of the year. I put a lot of work into it and, even though it reach all my goals, I did ok. In contrast to the days and weeks leading up to that race, this week has been the exact opposite of the last 10+ months. Since January I have been concerned with things like run volume, bike power, and my stroke in the pool. This week I was more concerned with sleep ... and my couch ... and food ... lots of food ... different food ... not always the "best" food. Did I mention food?

Yeah, it's the off season!!! This is the time of year where training takes a back seat. It is not just a physical break, but also a mental break. Will I get "out of shape?" Absolutely. Do I care? No. In fact, more so this year than in the past, I am embracing being "out of shape." 
 
Did I mention taking a break from training is oh so important for long-term racing success? Well it is.

The number one reason endurance athletes don't take an extended off season is a lack of true self confidence. (see the end of this post for a definition of the three types of self confidence) That's right. If you are the type of person who trains through the holidays with your "A" race 10 months out because, you know, you have to get ready for that big "A" race in 10 months, or you don't want to "get fat," or whatever it is you tell yourself, you have some thinking to do.

If you are reading this and it feels like I am calling you out, I assure you I am not, but you should take that as a sign. This has been a problem of mine in the past, although it looked a little different than most people. I would cut back on my training. When I thought of myself as a runner I would back off to base mileage of approx. 30 miles each week. Once I entered the world of multisport it was the same, just a bit more complicated. Sounds reasonable, and it was, with one teeny, tiny problem.

See, I would race during my downtime. Nothing long. Nothing that would appear to be out of the ordinary. A 5k here and a 5 miler there. No big deal I would tell myself. Running a 5k or a 5 miler, after all, isn't such a bad thing in and off itself. But reality is, those small little races (and the short hard set in the pool) would kick my ass more than I ever cared to admit out loud.

It would go something like this: After taking an easy week I would race a 5 miler and clock a good time (for me). Then I would ache for a week. What this did was nullify any healing I did the previous week and lose another week of true recovery by having to get over the damage from racing.

Sometimes I'm such an idiot.

Right about now you are probably saying "that's great Jon, but I don't need to take time off from training. Sounds to me like you are just getting old and lazy. I've got big things coming up next year and have no time to just sit around for weeks on end."

The off season is NOT about being lazy. As counter intuitive as it sounds, for a Type-A triathlete doing what needs to be done this time of year is hard to do, and can be hard work.

So what is the off season about?

1. Letting the body heal itself. After 10 or 11 months of swim/bike/run the body is a little beat up. Or a lot beat up. Taking some time to focus on losing that niggle in your knee or the tightness in your shoulders will allow you to be better next year and hopefully keep a small problem from becoming a major issue.

2. Taking a mental break. Racing, and the training to race, takes a lot of mental focus. It can become consuming. And the bigger the event, the greater the mental burden. While I find it awesome at the time, if you don't take a break from it burn out is inevitable. Much better to take some time to refresh and refocus than to hate the sport you love.

3. Get other stuff done. You know what I'm talking about. Long weekend rides and runs are not conducive to a big social schedule. Hang out with your friends and family who have supported your crazy over the last 11 months. Get some stuff done around the house. Read a non-sports related book. Watch some tv.

4. Get strong. A long season can take its toll on your body. If you race short course you need to be strong to go fast. If you race long course you need to be strong so your body doesn't break down. Hit the weight room, try some yoga, or maybe find your local crossfit box.



Not only is it ok to take some time away from serious training, it is in your best interest to take the time away. Time away from serious endurance training will help you set yourself up for better results next year. The mind and body will heal while you build some extra strength. Do it right and your body will feel real good come January 1 and you desire to train again will be high

Later this week I'll post up my thoughts on what I'll be doing the final six weeks of the year.

Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon


Three types of self confidence:
1. Temporary Self-Confidence: This is based on your recent past performance. You feel good because you ran a great 5k or hit your times on last weekend's bike interval workout. It is fleeting and only sticks around until your next not-so-great race or training session. Think about how you feel coming off a PR.

2. False Self-Confidence: You've seen this before. The guy who talks big and poses like a big shot. And then he gets on the bike ... and quickly flys off the back of the peloton .. Needless to say, you aren't impressing anyone and you're only fooling yourself.

3. True Self-Confidence: This isn't based on recent performance or impressing people, but a sense of great inner trust in who you are, what you are doing, and the people around you who are helping you be successful. True self confidence allows you to be resilient and trust what you are doing.