When to start Offseason training/ conditioning

Depends on what you're trying to get done over the off-season, and how much downtime you need. You'll get answers that range from 'immediately' to 'February' to 'you didn't give me enough information'.

If it's me, grab a month of downtime or EZ stuff, then do a variety of stuff...like you mentioned. But let the plan for your next A-race dictate when you start your sport-specific stuff. And if you can manage to be on some kind of plan over the XMAS break, that puts you twice as far ahead of the competition...you're working out, others a) aren't, and b) are consuming the badstuff.

Without a lot more information, though, it's hard to answer the question.

I have a similar question. My last sprint tri is Sept. 20 and next year I'm doing Olympic. So when do I start really working on increasing my edurance. All the programs on here are only like 12 weeks or so but I need to build a better foundation.

I take 2 weeks of completely nothing, then start with 2x a week of each discipline, so only training once a day instead of 2.

No need to stop training over winter, just make sure you are rested up enough in those 2 weeks, if your not, take 3.

After that just ease back into it, do something different to mentally get away from it all, maybe try mountain biking, spin classes, weights, gym classes, hiking or focus on one of the 3 sports over winter and focus on that training and prioritize it over the others.

I myself will be doing a 3-day, 90 mile canoe race Sept. 11-13, so two weeks off completely after that, then swim lessons and hitting the bike hard to get ready to tri like an animal next season.  (Season is short up here this far north - the water is already starting to get colder...sigh.)   I have a 5K on 9/27, but will probably dog it at an easy pace - it's for a local charity.

My other off-season "training" will be to save up money for a non-mountain bike.

Many triathletes use late summer and fall to train for a stand alone 5k/10k full/half marathon.

This is my plan (and fairly typical of what I have done in each off-season/non-competitive season):

Off-season starts mid-September - during this time I will run 3x/week, bike commute and maybe swim once a week.  Ultimately, I work out if I feel like it and rest/do stuff around the house I've been ignoring when I don't.

Non-competitive season typically starts first of November (maybe earlier if I feel like it)
Swim
November - December - two coached swims per week
January - April - three coached swims plus one or two non-coached swims

Bike
November - December - bike commuting
January - April - two/three focused trainer sessions - keys are FTP, power at VO2max and 5 second, 30 second and 1 minute power (for draft legal racing) plus bike commuting

Run
November - January - run 100x/100days; build weekly volume to 60-70km/week; maybe run a half marathon
February - April - stay consistent with running (50-60km/week) adding in tempo and lots of M paced work

Then sometime in April/May, back to balanced training with lots of outdoor riding.

Shane

Edited by gsmacleod 2009-08-11 7:31 AM