Light at the end of the tunnel.
The local triathlon scene in Texas has more or less come to an end. That's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Let's see if I can elaborate a little more........
Next season begins now. How much one athlete evolves from this season to the next....rests in all the decision's he or she makes during the next 5 months. The amount of down time you take between your last race of the year and the start of an off-season training build is probably the most important aspect in all your training. So many athletes underestimate the fitness gains that can be reached by letting your body recover, regroup and re-charge from a whole years worth of stress and torment. Somewhere between 2 weeks and 4 weeks is usually the norm for any athlete unsure how to approach a rest period. How an athlete transitions from rest to training is another key aspect of fitness gains. How will you tackle the next 5 months of training. Where's the structure? What do you focus on? How does one determine which discipline to give priority to. Limiters baby, that's the ticket. Learn them, train them, and turn them into your greatest ally.
The latter portion of that thought is really between the athlete and coach. No athlete or individual is the same, therefore it would be extremely ignorant of me or anyone else for that matter to prescribe an off-season plan based upon there own fitness goals and limiters.
What I'm trying to convey is simple. Off-season is there for a reason. Take it and you'll appreciate yourself come this time next year. Don't take it, you won't get a chance to get it back once the season starts. You ever wonder why football players, baseball players, basketball players, etc, etc only play the game and or train for a given period of time. Ever ask why spring training or camp starts at the same time every year and we don't hear anything else about the players or teams until that time. Something to think about if you keep pushing envelope well past your last race of the season.
The only bad portion of a season coming to a close is learning how to cope with with several months absent from competition. For most athletes, competition and racing is a time to get away from the office, hang out with friends and engage in some hefty competition amongst there piers you wouldn't otherwise get to do if a race wasn't present. It's an outlet for a lot of people.
On the flip side, this is the best part of the season for me. Not because I don't enjoy racing, but because I've raced 12-14 races and given everything I had to each and every one of them. I have nothing left to prove. I don't need that one last race, that one last feeling of accomplishment. I don't need one more chance to run, ride or swim faster than I have before. Shoot, I've had all season to do that. To me, if you need that one last race after it's all said and done....you didn't give the season everything you have. Honestly, there's a lot to be said walking into a race knowing it's the last one of the season, and that when it's all said and done.....your able to let it go and enjoy the ride and race for what it's worth.
As for me, I got one more. The big daddy....Ironman Florida. I've been working towards this race all year. Total focus and one goal. I told myself after a DNF at IM Wisconsin last year, I wouldn't show up to another Ironman unless I could be competitive. Hopefully, this will be the year I bring it together. I just have one goal.......bring all 3 disciplines together for the best possible race I can produce. There is another side goal I've been holding on to for a while. At this race I want to run. Not a run where I'm trying to make it through the day, but a run where I let it fly. I've been gearing up my running fitness all year long for this puppy. When I show up November 4th, I won't be thinking about pressing the swim or bike. I'll be thinking about that marathon....and what I can do to set up the perfect day.
I'll post up every week leading into IM Florida to document how I feel and jot down some feelings about my preparation heading into this event.
Mg
Next season begins now. How much one athlete evolves from this season to the next....rests in all the decision's he or she makes during the next 5 months. The amount of down time you take between your last race of the year and the start of an off-season training build is probably the most important aspect in all your training. So many athletes underestimate the fitness gains that can be reached by letting your body recover, regroup and re-charge from a whole years worth of stress and torment. Somewhere between 2 weeks and 4 weeks is usually the norm for any athlete unsure how to approach a rest period. How an athlete transitions from rest to training is another key aspect of fitness gains. How will you tackle the next 5 months of training. Where's the structure? What do you focus on? How does one determine which discipline to give priority to. Limiters baby, that's the ticket. Learn them, train them, and turn them into your greatest ally.
The latter portion of that thought is really between the athlete and coach. No athlete or individual is the same, therefore it would be extremely ignorant of me or anyone else for that matter to prescribe an off-season plan based upon there own fitness goals and limiters.
What I'm trying to convey is simple. Off-season is there for a reason. Take it and you'll appreciate yourself come this time next year. Don't take it, you won't get a chance to get it back once the season starts. You ever wonder why football players, baseball players, basketball players, etc, etc only play the game and or train for a given period of time. Ever ask why spring training or camp starts at the same time every year and we don't hear anything else about the players or teams until that time. Something to think about if you keep pushing envelope well past your last race of the season.
The only bad portion of a season coming to a close is learning how to cope with with several months absent from competition. For most athletes, competition and racing is a time to get away from the office, hang out with friends and engage in some hefty competition amongst there piers you wouldn't otherwise get to do if a race wasn't present. It's an outlet for a lot of people.
On the flip side, this is the best part of the season for me. Not because I don't enjoy racing, but because I've raced 12-14 races and given everything I had to each and every one of them. I have nothing left to prove. I don't need that one last race, that one last feeling of accomplishment. I don't need one more chance to run, ride or swim faster than I have before. Shoot, I've had all season to do that. To me, if you need that one last race after it's all said and done....you didn't give the season everything you have. Honestly, there's a lot to be said walking into a race knowing it's the last one of the season, and that when it's all said and done.....your able to let it go and enjoy the ride and race for what it's worth.
As for me, I got one more. The big daddy....Ironman Florida. I've been working towards this race all year. Total focus and one goal. I told myself after a DNF at IM Wisconsin last year, I wouldn't show up to another Ironman unless I could be competitive. Hopefully, this will be the year I bring it together. I just have one goal.......bring all 3 disciplines together for the best possible race I can produce. There is another side goal I've been holding on to for a while. At this race I want to run. Not a run where I'm trying to make it through the day, but a run where I let it fly. I've been gearing up my running fitness all year long for this puppy. When I show up November 4th, I won't be thinking about pressing the swim or bike. I'll be thinking about that marathon....and what I can do to set up the perfect day.
I'll post up every week leading into IM Florida to document how I feel and jot down some feelings about my preparation heading into this event.
Mg
posted by Mark Gingrich at 10:00 AM
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