Going With The (off season) Flow

Ah, the off-season!

I totally embrace my off-season, and this one has been no exception...though it has been most unique. Let's just say all of January's "cross-training," via the snow shovel, has left me going "hmmm," LOL.

I've been staying active and keeping busy, but my strength-training has been a bit compromised in recent weeks. This has not been a game-changer, by any means, though I can't help feeling somewhat out of sorts... 

That Post-Goal-Race Reality

Sometimes, reality bites. Other times, it feels just right.

Having just finished my seasonal goal race, the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon (recap HERE), I'm enjoying an engulfing tide of relief, along with a few remaining post-race endorphins. It's a rather euphoric ride, I must say.

But where do we go from here? 

Off-Season doesn't mean On-Couch

Have you ever taken an off-season?

Many are afraid of declaring an off-season, fearing all (or some) of their fitness gains will disappear. An off-season is not a time of complete and total laziness. It's actually a time of maintenance, while recovering from a busy, action-packed or demanding season.

Myself, I had several races on my calendar this past year, especially in the last four months. All of these races were sprinkled in with training for the Marine Corps Marathon. The dominant activity was running (no surprises there), which encompassed long runs on most weekends, weekly speed drills, and many short, easy-paced runs as well. There also was plenty of cross-training to keep my muscles strong and stave off injury.

Alas, the final race of the season has come and gone...so now it's time to recover, regroup, and ready myself for the what's next. Enter: Off-Season!

Enter Winter...ALREADY?

Winter? Already???

Okay, let me set the record straight regarding Winter...

Although I'm a die-hard #TeamSummerRunner gal, I do not hate all other seasons (least of all, Winter itself). Actually, I embrace the change of seasons. But Winter showing up nearly two months early does not a #BlissfulRunner make.

The Off-Season Continues

Ahhhh, the off-season.

Have I, by chance, mentioned it's my off-season at the moment? Actually, it's not just a single moment, and there are several moments remaining of this annual scale-back-on-the-running occurrence.

Anyways, not everyone takes an off-season. We all have our preferences with what works for our training. For myself, this includes a brief period of re-grouping during the winter. After all, I don't usually have much for upcoming races this time of year. I don't need "all the running" to maintain my fitness when there's other things that work just as well while giving "all the running" muscles a lighter schedule.