[daniel.justice]

I watched a video a couple days ago that has made me rethink my longer-term goals. They guy was talking about only doing a few marathons a year, a couple in the early season and a couple in the late, if you are shooting for peak performance. He said that training needs to be periodic because that is how our bodies adapt best over time. I have read the same in the UA book, but I haven’t really integrated that strategy into my plan. I started running seriously when the pandemic started, and I have been trying to push myself faster and further for about two years now. I haven’t taken more than a week off from running. I suppose I am scared that if I back away too much, it will be hard to come back. I don’t put much faith in the graphs from various apps, but they do show that my fitness level has consistently declined from last summer even though I am going faster an farther than I was a year ago. The record heat this summer has really challenged me as well. Running is turning into more of a chore, and I have started having a very hard time obeying the alarm to get out early before the heat the last few weeks. I am not competitive; I just like to see what I am capable of. On the other hand, since I started on this running journey, I’d like to keep doing it for as many years as my body will allow.

I am taking vacation late in September, and I intend to keep training up to that point and bag a bunch of miles and vertical while I’m off work (this is my A event for the year, and I want to keep it fun). Fall is my favorite time of year to run, but it is also a convenient time to take a break around the holidays.

How do other folks integrate an “off season”? How much volume do you do compared to your training volume? Shooting from the hip, I am thinking a bit of regular running volume and as much cycling as I feel like. How long do you back away from serious or specific training? How many times a year should this be done (I assume once a year)?

I am hoping a well-planned break will give me the right mindset to tackle something challenging in the spring/early summer next year. Thanks for any feedback!

Topic

[Jane Mackay]

Jane Mackay on August 8, 2022 at 11:14 am #69756

Daniel, as a start here are a couple of articles and a podcast that address your questions:

Overtraining: The Elephant in the Ultrarunning Room

Recovery Strategies for Endurance Training

Recovery by Feel

You could also explore the UA library on the topic of recovery: https://uphillathlete.com/recovery/

[daniel.justice]

daniel.justice on August 9, 2022 at 12:16 pm #69776

Jane, thanks for the information! Those all address short-term recovery, and I have used the 4-week cycle (3 push, 1 recovery) almost since the beginning of my training. I am asking about longer-term seasonal/yearly cycles. This article suggests 4-8 weeks between “seasons”. https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a775293/why-taking-an-off-season-is-important/ I know it is all subjective based on a persons goals and physical condition. If there was anywhere to ski near where I live, I’d simply switch sports for the winter. 😉