Riding the off-season roller coaster

Turning off the athlete in me

I am now a little over one week into my ‘vacation’ and I am still waiting for the relaxed warm feelings to hit me like I anticipated they would. Yes, there has been a sense of relief that every day, especially weekends, I don’t have the constant pressure to squeeze in every minute of training. I have also really enjoyed being able to keep my kids out of daycare for a few days to have some long awaited daddy time. But my overall feeling is rather uncomfortable. Maybe it’s the massive change in routine. Or perhaps it is because for 95% of the year I am physically and mentally pushing my body then immediately after my last Ironman, boom, I stop completely. It’s a tough thing to turn off the athlete in me despite that being exactly what I need to do in order to recover from the year and be ready for the next.

Unwanted but necessary changes

Possible explanations for this post-season blues are the physical changes that happen surprisingly quickly when you go from peak racing fitness to zero training. The chemistry of the body changes with endorphins that were previously being produced constantly through physical exertion, are no longer present. Hormone release also changes and you feel slow, tired and generally unmotivated. While unpleasant, this is also a good thing too as it allows for deep down recovery. Then there is the body composition change. Looking at myself in the mirror right now its crazy to think I just did my 5th Ironman in 14 months. I imagine that I should look like a cartoon character with muscles popping out of places that they shouldn’t naturally be but reality looks slightly different... my winter coat has developed quickly!

Who turned the lights out?

Then there is the darkness in Finland. This year is particularly bad because there is no snow yet combined with my travel schedule the past 6 weeks where I spent a week in Italy, two weeks in Gran Canaria, then a week in Mexico. Needless to say I am lucky to have seen that much sun this time of year, but it does feel like someone turned the lights off too soon. Trying to get my body moving in the morning when it won’t get light for another couple hours requires a large dose of coffee and some cold water on my face.

Riding the roller coaster

Being an athlete is a series of ups and downs that you intentionally subject your body and mind to in order to achieve your potential. During the season you train your body and suffer frequently but that suffering is rewarded with results in races. In the larger picture, you need to eventually hit the reset button and take a real break if you are going to continue to improve. Off-season is just part of that roller coaster and despite the some times uncomfortable feeling that accompanies the rest break; it is necessary and can actually be enjoyable. They say changing a habit takes 10 days until it is finally altered and by that count, my off-season should start to feel relaxing right about tomorrow. So cheers to a successful season completed and to the coming season of success!