Back to it.

Off-season has come and gone and I’m really looking forward to getting back into the swing of training. I was pretty active and kept a good amount of fitness over the off season so I’m excited about how I feel starting to train. For me, off-season was a chance to get my mind right. Last season I had about twice as many races than any other season I have been through before. On top of that, I was training much harder than I ever had and racing much longer events than I was used to. I don’t think it was a mistake physically to race that much last season however I will not be racing as much this season. Mentally, I felt great for 95% of last season until the very end. I raced nearly every weekend in August and threw some real long runs into September and October. By the time those races were rolling around, I was mentally exhausted and merely going through the motions. I was still happy with the results as I had never had that much fitness and my tapers went well but I knew it was time for a break from the stress I undergo during racing. The off-season was a great time for me to relax, exercise for enjoyment, and generally take life a little less seriously. I welcomed the 10-15 pounds that came with that mentality and it amazed me that simply thinking about starting to train again and eating better, my body began to shed weight. I was really happy to catch up on the time I had missed out on with my friends and loved having the opportunity to meet some new people but it is time to get back to business.

I am entering this new season with far more preparation as far as my season plan. I have my training blocks all set with goals and guidelines for each, something I have never tried before. More importantly, I feel like I have a whole new set of training partners that will help motivate me to continue working out throughout our cold winter. If all goes to plan, I hope to hit the spring in the best shape of my life, ready to chase the goals I have set for next season. I feel mentally recharged and look forward to continuing on with my preparation block.