This end of the racing season time frame brings a lot of terminology confusion for us endurance athletes.
Are we in the Off-season? Transition season? Pre-season? The Who Cares Season?
There are different viewpoints as to what this time frame “should” mean for an athlete. It runs the gamut from “RELAX, PEOPLE!” to “GET YOUR SH!T together for next year NOW, PEOPLE!”
While I’m not a big fan of the polar opposite This or That viewpoints, nor dwelling on a certain time-bound catchphrase to categorize all of us, I wanted to share a few perspectives that you can consider putting on your radar for this whatever you want to call it time frame:
Nourishment never stops. Even though your training and exercise program may shift, you don’t stop eating. Your decisions for what, when, and why to eat don’t get a break. You get to choose how you want to nourish.
Nourishment is not synonymous with restriction. You can practice mindfulness and awareness, yet this doesn’t mean you have to spend 16 minutes in a hem and haw state prior to enjoying a dessert. You go for it if it’s what you want to do.
It’s a time for rest and recovery… okay, but honestly, if rest wasn’t happening prior to now, then something might be amiss. Are you completely trashed coming into this time of the year? Hmmm…. Even with busy racing seasons, there is such a thing as “too much” for some of us. Of course, certainly honor your downtime now, but reflect on how your max level trashedness (yep, a made up word) served you.
While I’m a big fan of the “living forward” mantra (thank you, Selene Yeager), we live forward by including reflection on our past. Not being obsessed by our past, nor wanting to be our past selves. But taking time to give serious ponderation (yep, this is a word) to the way in which you have been living and what you can choose to do differently for yourself.
Nutritionally, keep up your quality protein intake. Stay on top of hydration. Try out different recipes. Buy a “new to you” vegetable to try. Cook or dine out with a loved one. Assess the gaps in your food plan, but approach this with the mindset of “enhancements” instead of “removals”. Take a fresh look at your supplements and make sure you understand exactly what and why you are taking them.
Whatever you settle on for terminology choice to describe this season, I hope you can provide space for yourself to regroup, nourish well, and figure out what you need to have in place for an incredible year ahead. And if you need a hand, drop us a note.
-Dina