Off season vs Outseason

vykkio

I just finished my 3rd HIM distance race for 2010 last weekend and still have a sprint tri to do next weekend. I thought I should take a bit of time off afterwards since I'm mentally frazzled from a summer of hard training that paid off with several PRs (it's pretty sweet to still PR at age 51!) How long should I take for an off season before I begin my Out season training? I don't want to lose fitness, but do need a break. Also, I am signed up to do my 4th IMCDA in 2011 and I'm thinking of signing up for the Boulder 70.3...will it be too soon to do a HIM just six weeks after IMCDA or is it doable? Thanks!

Paul Hough

Vicki - since you are familiar with IMCDA, you should look to your own recovery profile for IMCDA to decide whether you can do a HIM 6 weeks later. There are folks who can pull off an excellent IM double in 6 weeks so it's doable, but the decision is individual. I did 5 HIMs in 2009 and IMCDA in 2010. I know from my own experience it took me 3 weeks to recover from IMCDA. That would only have left me 3 weeks for 1 wk base, 1 wk build, 1 wk taper. I could have done it, but it wouldn't have been my best effort. For 2010, if you are done racing next weekend, I would take a good month of active recovery and start the OS in November.

Coach Patrick

I agree with Paul, as you'll want full recovery before OS. IF you can stop training HARD after the sprint, you should be okay with an OCT start. Like two weeks downtime, full on, and we go from there. If it doesn't feel great, then we bump it back a few weeks to start in Nov...happens to a few folks each year. Only reason I am pushing for an Oct start is the fact that CDA is early....

P

Neill Morgan

I've been doing the Intermediate OS since finishing my A race (Olympic distance) August 14, not planning to race again until next Spring. Long term plan is to do Florida IM November 2011. If I take this October off, start with the OS again in November 2010, that gives me a year of training before my first IM. What do I do between the OS and the 12 week IM plan, repeat the OS?

jburbatt

@ Neill- You'll want to pick another race to do in-between, like June/July-ish, maybe a local HIM? This is good so that you aren't going crazy training without any kind of race near, and you can use the race to nail down your race execution. So you'd do the OS, transition to HIM plan, race HIM, transition to IM plan.

Coach Patrick

What JEnnifer said; re-build the OS, then focus on a half IM...take a break and go full IM. Physical cost of training for a full year aside, it is mentally tough to stack up that many months of consecutive training. And you'll need that mental focus to really do well when the chips are down and your body is tired!

P

kathleennelson

What Jennifer and Patrick said. I started OS last year in Nov. Did 20 weeks;transition equaled 2weeks off; began 10 weeks of HIM training; raced HIM June 12. One week off began IMWI training for 12 weeks. In my estimation worked perfectly for me! Def stay in OS as long as u can...major benefits and your season of HIM/IM training isn't soo long...like Jennifer said too long of a season will give u the crazies! Good luck!

Neill Morgan

Thanks, all. That's helpful. I'll think this through with a calendar and a local race schedule. Five weeks on this OS plan has me feeling great. At 51, injury prevention is a big issue. So far, the running volume (relatively low) has worked to get me stronger and faster w/o hurting any joints or tendons longer than a few hours. The only part I'm having trouble figuring out is when it says "ride/run the rest how you feel" and after the hard work I feel like cutting across the pasture to get home, sitting on the porch with a beer. Pretty sure that's not what it means.

Coach Rich

Hi Neil,

The answer would be "do whatever you feel will set you up properly for downstream workouts." So if you're riding/running and you get that to that "how you feel" jazz, think "if I do X, will that affect my ability to do Y scheduled tomorrow."

If yes, turn it down. If no, go for it.