END THE SEASON WITH THE 3 R’S & GET MOTIVATED FOR NEXT YEAR
The 2009 season is coming to a close. The last triathlons are finished for most. Only a few marathons and mountain bike races left. The only athletes that are in the peak of their season are those competing in cyclocross .
Some tips on how to prepare for your next season are in order.
1. RECOVER Give yourself some time to recover from the competitive season. This can be doing as little as taking complete rest to as much as beginning training for your next season for those that plan more than one season per year. Such as an athlete competing in cycling and then following it up with a cross country ski season. It is important for the 2 season athlete to make a slow transition from sports. Start out your second sport with strength training and form work. Just remember that if you choose to take a mental break and stop completely you can expect a significant decrease in aerobic fitness in just 12 days. You should start to plan to start some kind of aerobic activity before that happens.
2. REFLECT Review a couple of key races from the past season to determine your strengths and weaknesses. An honest evaluation of your past performance and the training and strategies that preceded them will help determine the direction of next season.
3. RESET Set your goals for next season. Determine what needs work, what you want to accomplish and how that all fits into the rest of your life. Once you have set realistic goals for the season take some time to think about the next 4 seasons. This will help determine your needs for the season in a big picture fashion and prepare you for bigger challenges ahead.
The 3 R’s of ending your season will help you restore your motivation to continue a more complete and healthy lifestyle.
Share your favorite offseason cross training activities by leaving a comment.
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