The off season

it's gotta be something you like.  i LOVE cycling so i tend to default to that in the winter if nothing else.

IM trng will test your meddle mentally so going into it with a fresh noggin helps.

Great tips from the crew, especially on consistency.  The attached link is to an article about how I like to approach the off-season.

 http://coachgordo.com/gtips/training_philosophy/offseason_gtips.html  

Hope this helps, g

Hmmmmmmmmm.....

I've just wrapped up this season with the Chicago marathon and now I'm looking forward to IMWI 2009.

I know training for IMWI is going to take alot out of me, so I've been going easy on myself for a week or so here after the Marathon.

Am thinking perhaps I should go easy on myself for a bit longer. I was going to start up with running again, short duration, but with greater frequency.... but maybe I should just take a good long rest.

I do have a 5K on the sked this weekend, purely for fun. And I'd like to ride my mountain bike from time to time... but I think I'm going to stay away from jumping back into the early morning structred Master's program I was thinking about... There will be plenty of opportunities for me to get up at 4:45 AM come July. No need to do that now, methinks.

Thanks Gordo!  And thans for coming here and helping us all out!  It is appreciated. 

I find it really hard to be on and focused on one event for so long. I think JK's advice and that of others is really helpful.

If you haven't taken some time off consider doing so. I'm on my second week of no s/b/r. I know many think it is odd that I'm purposely getting less fit, but I know it will come back and mentally and physically I need a break and to allow my body to fully recover. I want to come back hungry and ready to do hard work. I'd be sure to plan on do a block of no training after your IM next year.

One thing I would suggest is schedule some down time mid season maybe 2 weeks during which you do low key easy and shorter workouts and some extra rest days of doing nothing ideally after an early season event maybe in April? 

I remember in '05 my coach wanted me to do 7-10 days of very little training in early June after my spring A race and I really didn't want to. Every year after that I would remind him that I wanted it as I could tell the break really refreshed me.

You can only be on mentally for so long. After doing my first IM I know I couldn't do a 30 week IM plan without going bonkers.

Next IM I will do only a 12 week build to it. I will do different types of training starting in December then take a little break after 3.5 months then do more outdoor training then a little break after a race or two then 12 weeks until IM.