Off Season....lose fitness it is a good thing!

Right.....losing fitness is the right thing to do in this crazy sport of Triathlon. We all need an off season to get stronger the next season, we need down time, need to wake up without an alarm, need to decide what we want to do that day versus what the coach put on the schedule, stay up late, eat gluten, chocolate and for me- drink egg nog and brandy until the stores stopped carrying it - thank goodness it is only seasonal.

All good things do come to an end....while I enjoyed my 6+ weeks of leisure with random rides and runs, I stayed away from the pool for 7 weeks.  I knew going back would be hard, feeling slow etc- but when you really do it- OUCH is all I can say.

I eased back in definitely and was thinking this really is not so bad.  Well....after 2 weeks of becoming a runner- I was friend, baked and done!  Looking at the volume it was not anything impressive,  nothing to blog about or Facebook about but my legs and body were saying "hello....."  So I am listening to that little voice, well actually the loud screaming voice now and recovery- yes recovery all ready.

I was riding sporadically and riding Great Western Loop once a week and thinking - not too shabby, can still climb the wall seated and chatting it up . Yes the ride time was a bit slow but hey it was the off season. Well last Wed, Jen and I ride with Riikka and all I can say is well.....wake up call honey!  Within 10 minutes she is chatting away and my HR is over 160. Jen and I look at each other and without saying a word, we realize....we have become soft and slow.   We thought we were slowly getting stronger, well not really.  So Riikka set the pace and we followed.  She was chatting about her bike focus...yeah, yeah...all I am thinking is HS time to kick it in. Funny thing was that after I got used to the pace, I remembered this is what GWL used to feel like.  Hard, yes hard.   And with Ian along we worked the downhills....no laying in the aero bars cruising down Skyline Truck Trail more like pedalling for life and trying to keep up.  I am inspired and motivated to kick it out there again....I could not go this week due to family obligation and travel and it is a good thing!  I need to let the running soak in...but next week- lets go!

Back to looking at the ride time at the Bee Keeper and then again at the top of the Skyline...are we under 2:30!  Yes....the season has begun.  I just hope my body is ready to play the game.

I really wanted to add a bike focus week on top of the last 2 run focus weeks....but I am listening and the week is now recovery and the goal is 2 solid weeks after this. 



Other than training we are so busy....Aussie family in town and having so much fun riding with my bro and sister-in-law!  JD is cooking up a storm- 2 sensation meals and the 2nd one involved hours in the kitchen.  Topped off with Riley's Chocolate Mousse.  Seriously kids are setting the bar for cooking around here. 


More family this weekend....Sis and family coming from Boulder- hoping to sneak in some riding and running amongst all the cooking and eating.  Going to be a fun and so thankful to have everyone here!