I know this post comes earlier than usual for most. I only had the time and money to race three times this year and I ran my last race last weekend, so I’m technically out of season. I’m focused and preparing for next year right now. In all training, but especially triathlon training, you should prepare for the upcoming season by doing things now. I know that if I don’t work hard now, I won’t reach my goals for next year. It’s started, I promise it will be hard, I MUST be faster next year!

This week marked the beginning of the process of making my offseason. My basic plan is to exercise in each discipline, in addition to doing strength training and losing weight. The off-season provides time you don’t have between races during the season. I’ll use this post to briefly discuss what I’m doing in each discipline during the offseason:

-Swimming: I must be faster in swimming by improving my form. I have been working hard on my form for about 3 weeks at each workout. I’ve gotten faster and faster in the pool. I was able to do my fastest times of the season in the swim race last weekend. I’m doing more exercises, along with skateboard training. I’m also including some 50 and 100 yard swim sprints. The key to swimming faster in a race is swimming faster in practice. I’m mainly concentrating on a streamlined body position and proper arm placement during the strike. I have a tendency for my arm to slide across my chest which doesn’t provide adequate strength in swimming. I’m making sure to leave a slight bend in the arm and make the punch more effective. Swim sprints are meant to help me combine all exercises with cardio help in the pool. I will also work on breathing easier and breathing less throughout the pool.

-Bike: Strength, Strength, Strength, Endurance. The formula for being fastest next year on the bike is all about three parts strength and one part endurance. I need to make my legs stronger on the bike. This comes through time on the bike in decent weather doing climbs. It also involves doing bike workouts on the indoor trainer with maximum resistance on. Lastly, it involves doing some leg exercises off the bike, like squats and leg presses. Hopefully I can have my legs stronger next year. I also need to improve my endurance on the bike. I have to come to the end of the bike with enough juice to do well in the run. I felt like this year I really struggled with how much energy to put on the bike to allow for a good run. This coming year I need to have more stamina that comes from extended times on the bike, whether outdoors or on the trainer. I must commit the time.

-Running: I have to keep improving my pace and lose weight. This aspect of the breed is affected by weight more than any other. I need to lose those 5-10 pounds. I will also work on my form to make sure I get the maximum amount of push off my legs during the race. I also want to continue to see my pace drop for longer periods of time. I plan on running outside as long as I can stand the cold. I will complete fartlek intervals and shorter pace runs for the first part of the week and then try longer runs at a certain race pace. I also want to try and do a couple of runs this fall of the 5k and half marathon variety. These races should continue to push me in the race. Last year I was sidelined with a bad cough and cold around Thanksgiving and couldn’t run for over a month. I can’t have that this year and I need to stay healthy.

-Strength Training: I will be doing basic strength training that will provide some cross-training aspects to my triathlon runs. I will do the AB 30 day challenge every month to keep pushing and hopefully get my six pack. I want to do push-ups to strengthen my shoulders and lats for swimming. I’ll do some curls to strengthen the biceps. I want to do some pull-ups to get stronger swimming. I’ll do some wall squats and barbell squats to strengthen my legs. I will do some plyometrics from the P90X exercises to keep my legs strong. In general, I want to improve my strength in all areas to avoid injury.

-Weight loss: I have written about this recently, but in summary I weigh around 180 pounds. I need to run around 170. I need to lose those 10 pounds by eating better and avoiding as much sugar. One thing that happens to me is that in the winter I don’t seem to work as much, so I gain weight. I hope this doesn’t happen this year by joining a gym and continuing to swim, bike and run regularly. I must weigh less for the next season!

The offseason will be an exciting time of continued growth in my ability to compete. I have to push myself even if there isn’t a race on the calendar. I MUST punish my body to do what I want next year. I have a few months before I can run again and these months must count. Next year I will run my first ironman triathlon and I will be in better shape than this year.