Training in the off season

I've been getting a lot of questions about what I do in the off season. The best advice I read is that you should do what you feel like doing and so that is my prescribed plan, or lack thereof. After all, the off season is a chance to rejuvenate yourself both physically and mentally.

We've been having an unseasonably warm winter so that has meant many days of feeling like running and biking outdoors. I've been adding distance to my running, taking on a 5 mile hilly loop around my house. When I got a cold recently, I opted for walking rather than running and discovered a whole new perfectly distanced 5K loop from my house.

On December 31, Mike and I decided to do a 10 mile bike loop to the beach and back at our Martha's Vineyard house - a record for the latest bike ride in the year for us. On January 1, we set another record for earliest ride in the year and we were treated to a blue sky, sunny 47 degree day with blue, calm ocean views during our 18 mile ride.

Swimming has continued to be a focus of mine. I joined an adult swim group that my swim coach runs. I choose up to 2 nights a week and I'm sometimes joined by 1-2 others or have the benefit of a private lesson when no one shows up. After a warm up, we typically do technique drills that have definitely been making me a more efficient swimmer. Then, the sets focus on speed and/or endurance. It all seems to be paying off as I keep setting new speed records for myself and felt pretty good after swimming 2100 yards non stop one day (I set out to do one mile which is 1760 yards and was surprised after I looked at my lap watch how much I had miscounted!). My current personal bests are:
25 yards - :21 seconds
50 yards - :47.78 seconds
100 yards - 1:53
450 yards (.25 mile) - 9:58
1800 yards (1 mile) - 45:02

There is one problem with this "do what you feel like" plan - strength training doesn't make the list. So, I've had to force myself to do some of that but it has admittedly not been enough as another piece of advice that I read is that you really should do more of it now since it often gets squeezed out in season. So, I came up with a little game of sorts - I sum the digits in the date and do that many daily push ups and twice as many sit ups. So 1/1/12 = 13 push ups and 26 sit ups and 12/31/12 = 55 push ups and 110 sit ups.

This off season training plan has one big benefit - it's been great at fighting the wintertime blues. Dark early? Who cares, I'm off to the pool. Winter? I'm still in denial with these beach bike rides. And, I've discovered new streets in my neighborhood after living there for 14 years!

2012: New Goals

The first thing I did on the first day of the year was to register online for a popular Montauk triathlon that opened that day! I spent a couple of hours on New Year's Eve researching my 2012 triathlon options. I am excited that my 2012 goal will be to complete an Olympic distance triathlon. 2012 is the Chinese Year of the Dragon. The Dragon is a legendary creature and would make a good triathlete as it can survive on the ground, in the water, and in the sky.

Here's the run down on my race plan - come join me!

June 2: Barb and I will return to Lake Noxamixon State Park for the Independence Triathlon. It will be fun to do a year over year comparison since this was my very first triathlon. It's also a great warm up race at .25 mile swim, 10 mile bike, and 2 mile run. http://www.piranha-sports.com/Race177.aspx

July 1: It's tempting to go for the Olympic triathlon in my home town in Stamford, CT. But after checking the 2011 results, as it stands now, I would come in dead last on the mile swim. I've decided it would be best to use the summer to get plenty of open water swim practice in and to work on my biking and running speed before attempting an Olympic. But, Mike, my friend Allison and I have decided to do it together as a relay as a good training race. It will be a good 10K training race for me and give me motivation to work on my run. http://www.kicittriathlon.com/

July 15: The Montauk Point Lighthouse Sprint. This race will add some distance with a .5 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 5K run as I prepare for the Olympic distance. And, it's a location I've always wanted to visit. https://secure.marathonguide.com/register/montaukpointtriathlon/index.cfm?

September 9: Martha's Vineyard. So far there are 11 of us who have declared we're in! I'm planning on making this my Olympic distance debut as is my friend Allison. Mike has declared he will do the Sprint distance. I'll have all summer to practice and will know the route well. We're planning lots of extended weekend activities for our friends and family so please let me know if you want to join us for the sprint, Olympic or Olympic relay or our cheerleading squad and the weekend events! http://www.vineyardwarrior.com/

Others: It may be tempting to squeeze in an early and/or late season event so I'm keeping these on my list.
4/22 mini mighty man (pool swim)
9/22 Darien sprint usat
9/29 mighty man montauk sprint 9/30 Olympic
mid-Oct. Gettysburg

Last year my goal was just to finish some races. While that is of course still the intent, particularly with my Olympic, I'm hoping for some new personal bests.

Having been born in 1968, my Chinese sign is the Monkey:
Monkeys can run circles around other people with ease. They are curious and clever people who catch on quickly to most anything. Monkey people generally can accomplish any given task. They appreciate difficult or challenging work as it stimulates them and makes them think.

Game on!