Congratulations to those of you who are now officially in "off season" mode!  Make sure to take some time off to relax and let your body and mind recover.  You may feel great and excited to get back to training right away, but your body and mind will regret the lack of break later on down the road.  Take this time to do the things that you were not able to do while in full season training and racing mode.  For example, hanging out with friends, shopping, taking a hike with your dogs, family trips, or just enjoying a nice walk in the fresh air.  While simple, these are the activities that were difficult to fit in during our busy race seasons.  

After two to three weeks of having fun tackling these activities, begin slowly getting back into the swing of training.  I like to have my athletes begin with the most neglected aspect of triathlon training, core work or strength training.  A qualified coach or fitness trainer will be able to show you how and what to do while in the gym.  Most programs will include upper body work, abs, back, and legs.  Some of the more important exercises that should be part of your program are lunges, crunches or planks, stretch cord shoulder and tricep work, among others.  Make sure to start out slowly and with light weights.  It is best to use light weights and work on a higher number of repetitions.  Be consistent and gradually build up in weight and repetitions over the winter months, but only under the guidance of a coach or trainer unless you are very experienced with strength training.  

To add some fun and variety to your off season training, try new sports such as soccer, stand up paddling, rock climbing, to name a few.  Have fun, engage the different muscle groups and go easy.  You have so much time to "go hard" during the regular season!

Cheers to a great Off Season!

Eileen Swanson

Tri Lab Coaching