The off-season is over: Post Season begins
The Offseason is over: Post Season Begins
Welcome to the post season everyone…well mostly everyone. With all but a few big races to go this year, the only thing left to do is kick up the ole running shoes and hang up the hydration packs and take it easy, right?
Wrong!
Kinda…Look, our bodies get beat up running throughout the year and the offseason is the best time to build our bodies back up to keep our running fitness and build on our gains from last season. We need to “train to train” so to speak. Lets talk about how to prepare for a successful offseason:
Try new things: Don’t worry about running for now. Go out and do that spin class you’ve wanted to try, or go for that trail hike you’ve been dying to bring your family on. Variety is the spice of life and we want you to have a spicy offseason full of fun experiences that will also keep you active and moving in new ways.
Strength Training: With less time spent running, you can add in more time in the gym to build muscle and strength. Getting into the habit of weightlifting at least 2x week now can pay off big during your season. Not only will you fortify your injury resistance, you’ll run more efficiently and stay stronger in those tough final miles of your races.
Keep a regular training schedule: Don’t lose your routine, it’s tough to get it back once training starts up. You don’t need to spend as much focus and effort in the offseason, but you should make it your goal to be consistent. Things in motion tend to stay in motion as they say.
Invite your friends and family to be active with you: It can be lonely when you’re training for a race; why not try and find some activities with your loved ones. You’ll spend quality time with them in a way that may even inspire them to try running or a new active hobby.
Work on your mindfulness: Look back on the year you’ve and reflect on all the things you’ve accomplished. Good or bad, failure or success; these are narrow prisms when we think about what we’ve been able to accomplish through your season. Take time and think about your journey: the challenges you’ve overcome, the moments of joy and ache you’ve experienced, and the people you’ve met along the way. Maybe you’’ll surprise yourself with how awesome you did, maybe you’ll burn for a better outcome. Bottom line is you’ll appreciate how far you’ve come and internalize your experiences to help make the most of next season. Read some of Coach D’s favorite books on Mindfulness - The Mindful Athlete & Let Your Mind Run
Make the most of your post season
Once you are rested and found a maintenance routine, make the most of your post season by working on your weak links from your previous race. Take a look over your race notes and notice what areas started to break down first - maybe it was going out too fast, hydration/nutrition, quad cramping, etc. Take this information and build an off season plan to set yourself up for success in the next training cycle. Here are some suggestions:
Hip and knee pain during your race: Many things can contribute to aches & pain during the race but one of the top influencers is muscle weakness. Incorporate glute, hamstring and quad exercises to support the joints around the hip and knee for your next race. No need to do fancy workouts you see on Instagram - simple exercises like goblet squat, front squats, deadlifts and bulgarian split squats are an excellent start.
Cramping: Take a look at your nutrition and hydration in the days leading up to the race. Did you sweat a lot during the race? (were you covered in salt post race?) Now is the time to experiment and find a new nutrition strategy.
Mental fatigue: By the end of marathon training we can be burnt out. If you showed up to the start line already “over it” take some time away from competition and focus on non-number related aspects of your race. Focusing on pace and mileage can drain you - racing isn’t going anywhere and it’s better to be healthy over burnt out.
