General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Explain Off-Season to me Rss Feed  
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2016-11-30 9:56 PM

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Subject: Explain Off-Season to me
I am struggling wrapping my head around the "off-season". Previously, I was either on the couch for months or in full training mode (or what I perceived as full training mode) in the depth of winter.

Now I am training 6-9 hours per week just maintaining.

I (think I) understand that you can't physically or mentally be in race-ready condition always, but I need some clarification.

So, if you train for your A race, lets say for purpose of example an IM, in September. You are top condition. Your satisfied with your performance, you get home, take a week or two off, then downshift in a maintenance training program.

Questions:
When I get back into full training mode, do I start at ground 0 with fitness or do I start at 75% of where I ended up after my previous IM the previous September?
As long as I never go to the couch for any extended period, am I building (endurance, fitness, speed) each year on the previous year?
What is the amount of couch time that would require you to start from ground 0 (in other words, how fast do you lose fitness)?
While I am doing all 3 disciplines, is there a minimum amount I should be doing each week to maintain a certain amount of readiness for next season (in other words, if I am not running x miles per week, why bother)?
I hear people talking about doing other sports (cross country skiing, fat tire biking, etc) in the winter instead of Tri training. While I assume you get some fitness from those other sports, aren't you then going to start at ground 0 for tri's?
If I am concentrating on my weakest discipline like biking during the winter, are my swim and run performance falling backward?

My stats:
48 YO
done IMWI
done 3 HIM
run several marathons
probably 10 pounds heavier than I was after IMWI
injury free
have training plan from online coach
have loosely mapped out my 2017 race plans with a HIM in Aug and a marathon in Oct as my A races


2016-12-01 7:34 AM
in reply to: scottficek

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
There is no way that you can be at peak performance all of the time. That being said you will go backwards some what in the off season. But, that doesn't mean that you will be starting back from the beginning when it comes time to start a training plan.

If you are targeting August/September you'll probably be in full training in April/May/June/July. So the key is what should you do from now until April. You want to make sure that you are fresh with no nagging injuries, no over training, and a clear mind.

I think that the clear mind can be the hardest part for me, it is hard for me to maintain full dedication through out the year. That's why people recommend other activities. Even professional athletes take an off season, but they don't let themselves get out of shape.

If you are doing a bike focus, you might be riding 5x-6x times a week and only running/swimming 0x-2x a week.

Right now I am doing a run focus and am running 6x-7x a week to work on building my weekly milage to be ready for some serious running in the spring. But I am only biking 1x maybe 2x a week. So, when I get back to that my legs will hurt. As for swimming I haven't swam in 2 months and will struggle when that comes back around. But, for me and my schedule a run focus is more easily achievable instead of a swim focus and it is much harder for me to build run volume.
2016-12-01 8:17 AM
in reply to: scottficek

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me

It may help if instead of thinking of race preparedness as one dimensional (how fit am I / how big is my aerobic engine?), understand that it's multi-dimensional (skills, biomechanical, biochemical, neurological, emotional, body composition, etc.)  So, instead of viewing training as a progression from less fit to more fit, view it as a process with different stages where you focus on different components of race preparation.

Periodization is the concept that training progresses from general to specific.  During the "off season" your training will be more general, and as race day approaches, training more closely mimics the demands of the race.

There are different strategies for approaching off season training, that are all equally valid, depending on the individual.  Some good ones are focusing on skills development, such as someone who's a weak swimmer, so they get in the water extra days a week with a masters group and coach on deck who helps them work on their swim or utilizes other tools for swimming development.  Others do single sport focuses where they put the other two disciplines into maintenance mode, and work on improving bike or run abilities.  Still others may identify that they have some biomechanical limitations that can be improved through specific strength training.  Some may choose more of a mental break from the grind of s/b/r training for races, so they spend their off season indulging in other sports that they enjoy too.  Other options are working on weight loss to improve body composition, or mental toughness through books, videos, counseling, or other activities.

Decide which path is best for you by first evaluating what your overall goals are for the sport and the upcoming season and identifying the primary weaknesses that present challenges to your achievement of those goals, then formulate a plan for addressing those weaknesses.

 

2016-12-01 4:26 PM
in reply to: scottficek

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
I am in pretty much the same situation (coming off of doing maintenance stuff at similar volume for the past three months, one year younger than you). I don't expect to come back to more intense training or racing at exactly where I was when I left off, but not at zero either. I can tell I've lost fitness--mainly top end speed on the run and swim, and bike power. Endurance always comes back more easily to me than those--it's mainly just a mental block at doing a workout that goes beyond 90 minutes, especially in the heat. If weather had been better, I would have dealt with that by doing more longish, easy pleasure rides in the 3-4 hour range, but I've only been able to get in a few this fall.

I think one factor that responders are overlooking is our age. Whether or not we can continue to make progress in terms of times/power/speed is going to depend on not just training and training-related fitness, but whether those are enough to counteract aging-related performance decline, which for most people is going to be a factor after the mid to late 30's. Guessing that the less experienced you are in a sport, or the less endurance sport background in general you have, the more likely it is that you can continue to make gains for quite a while because there will be a lot of low-hanging fruit with technique, general fitness, etc. For many people, that's the swim, and even people a lot older than us could probably see big gains by working on technique with a coach. For me, it's the bike. I don't have much experience as a cyclist, so I'm pretty sure I have at least 3-5 years where I might potentially see gains in that area. I've been running and swimming, sometimes in a very intense single-focus way, since age 10, so I'm 100% sure I'll never see those times again. I'm not anywhere close--my times are probably 15-20% slower in an open swim or run than when I was in my teens or early 20's. It's more a matter of trying not to lose fitness, and staying healthy so I can train consistently to be competitive in my age group. I'm also hoping that better bike fitness would let me have a stronger run off the bike, even if my actual run fitness/speed stays steady or declines a bit. And better race execution might let me set some "tri" PB's for open-water swimming, even if my pool times don't change much.

I would focus on maintaining general fitness, addressing weakness, and doing anything you need (strength training?) to become as healthy and resilient as possible.
2016-12-01 7:09 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
Great info. Thank you

2016-12-01 7:10 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
Originally posted by Hot Runner

I am in pretty much the same situation (coming off of doing maintenance stuff at similar volume for the past three months, one year younger than you). I don't expect to come back to more intense training or racing at exactly where I was when I left off, but not at zero either. I can tell I've lost fitness--mainly top end speed on the run and swim, and bike power. Endurance always comes back more easily to me than those--it's mainly just a mental block at doing a workout that goes beyond 90 minutes, especially in the heat. If weather had been better, I would have dealt with that by doing more longish, easy pleasure rides in the 3-4 hour range, but I've only been able to get in a few this fall.

I think one factor that responders are overlooking is our age. Whether or not we can continue to make progress in terms of times/power/speed is going to depend on not just training and training-related fitness, but whether those are enough to counteract aging-related performance decline, which for most people is going to be a factor after the mid to late 30's. Guessing that the less experienced you are in a sport, or the less endurance sport background in general you have, the more likely it is that you can continue to make gains for quite a while because there will be a lot of low-hanging fruit with technique, general fitness, etc. For many people, that's the swim, and even people a lot older than us could probably see big gains by working on technique with a coach. For me, it's the bike. I don't have much experience as a cyclist, so I'm pretty sure I have at least 3-5 years where I might potentially see gains in that area. I've been running and swimming, sometimes in a very intense single-focus way, since age 10, so I'm 100% sure I'll never see those times again. I'm not anywhere close--my times are probably 15-20% slower in an open swim or run than when I was in my teens or early 20's. It's more a matter of trying not to lose fitness, and staying healthy so I can train consistently to be competitive in my age group. I'm also hoping that better bike fitness would let me have a stronger run off the bike, even if my actual run fitness/speed stays steady or declines a bit. And better race execution might let me set some "tri" PB's for open-water swimming, even if my pool times don't change much.

I would focus on maintaining general fitness, addressing weakness, and doing anything you need (strength training?) to become as healthy and resilient as possible.


Ugh, don't I know it.
But I want to be able to race like I was 29 again!


2016-12-02 6:40 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
I guess guys could attempt the "T" route to regaining youthful vigor, but technically speaking you have to have a medical excuse (TUE); maybe they do test at Worlds for the top people; also not the most ethical thing to do unless there is an actual medical issue. I don't think women get such an option! Honestly I don't really feel any different training or racing at 47 than at 27 or 17. I can pretty much do the same workouts. It's just that it takes longer to go the same distance!

Edited by Hot Runner 2016-12-02 6:41 AM
2016-12-04 8:44 AM
in reply to: scottficek

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Subject: RE: Explain Off-Season to me
I train similar hours year round. The usual plan is to swim more and ride less. Trying to spend more time lifting this year to support faster swimming since I race masters during the winter and spring. I am aging up to 40-44 & have my eye on some records
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