What is your off season training plan?

I'm doing my first IM next year so will be training throughout the 'off-season'. My coach doesn't believe in taking breaks, just race recovery time. I'll spend most of the winter months focusing on getting faster, probably to the tune of 12-16 hours a week.

 Sounds heavy.  Aren't you concerned about burning yourself out?  Most off season plans I see are around 8 hours a week.  All the power to you if you can keep that up. Good luck!

Not at all. actually, I asked him about upping the training time over even that but he wants to hold off. I just came out of graduate school and was able to maintain that level over last 'offseason' while spending ~80 hours a week slaving away on my thesis, now all I have is a 40 hour a week day job. I don't have any kids and I'm not married so i have loads of free time and that's how I would choose to spend it. I may as well take advantage of the opportunity to do some intense training now while I have it since there's no guarantee that freedom will last.

My last race was a HIM on 8/2. 

• Marathon training now through October (11/1 race)
• Swim Focus Nov-Dec '08 - helped big time last year
• 1/2 marthon training Jan-March '09

I think this is very sound advice for most:

http://www.endurancenation.us/book/manual/lctm.php

JeepFleeb is dead on here...

Off seasons should be dedicated to 1 (or 2) of 2 things.  Train your weakness.  (stroke improvement for swimming, running cadence/form for running, muscular endurance/core strength for cycling).  This is the only time of the year where you are actually going to be able to rationalize a significant uptick in time spent on something that normally frustrates you during the season.  This can pay MAJOR dividends next year.

Second, do anything but swim, bike or run.  Take up aerobics, trail hiking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, weightlifting, water polo, etc.  Your mind and body will greatly appreciate the change of pace and you can still stay in strong aerobic condition.  Personally, I am going to take the big dive into Crossfit workouts for most of the winter (www.crossfit.com)  This is a great, great change of pace and for many folks, the only workout they do.

After IMKY I'm going to take a few weeks off of any structured workouts and just live life.  Then as have been mentioned I'm going to focus on my two weakest area's (Swim and Bike).  I'm also going to put some strength training and flexibility exercises in there as I've been fighting hip injuries all summer and want to avoid those next year.  I'm probably looking at 10 - 12 hours a week total. 

Matt