This time of year is all about change.
Summer is well and truly behind us and we are now deep into autumn with winter on the horizon. The racing season is pretty much done with the last one or two big races about to take place. I love this time of year as it signals a break from the demands of training and racing along with the excitement and planning for next year.
Planning is important for the next season but first—enjoy the time relax.
For me this period is about rest and regeneration, both physical and mental; it is one of the most important parts of the year and key to success the following season. Too short a break or starting back before the body and mind are ready can have a big impact on the training year ahead.
This is the time to rebel, time to get out and do the things you can’t do during hard training and during the race season. How you rebel is a highly individual thing but the important thing is to not resist temptations now as it will make the resisting through the important times much easier!
For me the off-season is about food—far too much sushi has been eaten recently, desert is definitely on the menu, and drinks with friends has been a regular occurrence. One of my passions is cooking and I love to experiment at this time of year: no ingredient is off limits and portion size is off the charts. Pig trotters stew is on the menu this year, an amazing taste sensation!
Remember this is personal: whatever your passion, be it climbing, mountain biking, music or travel, then indulge in it now, spend more time with family and friends and try not to think about training and, most of all, do not think about losing fitness. This is the goal. Do this right and you will come back stronger and faster next year.
Loss of fitness
As a pro, the end of season was always important and it was never a problem to lose fitness as we all knew this rest brought us back stronger and ready to attack the new season.
With age groupers it seems that this loss of conditioning is seen as tragic—the feeling that you have worked so hard to get fit so why should you now let it fade prevails. It is always the athletes who don’t rest and push all through the year that end up burnt-out very early the next racing season and, as a result, have to take an enforced rest then!
Never forget as a performance age grouper that you are under a lot more stress than a pro: not only do you have to train hard, long hours, you have to do this on top of working a 40+-hour week and all the demands your job may place on you. Stress is stress no matter where it comes from and it affects the body the same way.
Stepping back is hard but the rewards for doing this are huge; if you normally skip this time off, then make a change this year and you will be richly rewarded next season.
Enjoy your off-season!
By Alun ‘Woody’ Woodward, Certified ironguides Coach – UK/Hungary
http://www.ironguides.net