Seasons End ?

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Seasons End ?

Postby jonathon.e » 07 Oct 2018 07:28

Does the racing season ever really end ?
There are always races throughout the year, without having to go to the Southern Hemisphere.
As triathletes, do we migrate to duathlon during the autumn and winter, there are always running races ( road/fell ), all year, cycling goes to cycling-cross, or mtb. Swimming again is all year even open water !
Or should the racing season be modelled around races and not months of the year ? Racing in Australia or NZ at the beginning of the year necessitates training and racing over the months of Nov/Dec/Jan. Which brings us to the next topic,
One that has been discussed before, but always interested to hear others views, if we have no targets to aim for, are we exercising rather than training ?, is training really exercising with purpose, and what is your purpose, to get fit, do a particular race, get a PB, or qualifying time ?


I have my aims for next year, so, my training is geared around achieving a particular objective at some time in 2019, it is what I think achievable and not pie in the sky, but, nothing ever runs smooth. Small steps, to a big goal ( well for me anyway )..

What are your aspirations for the future ?
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Jimba » 08 Oct 2018 06:08

My last race is mid-November and my first next year is mid Jan, so not much of an off season for me, and of course if I was a proper club runner there are all sorts of cross country events taking place through Dec -Jan.

I think there is something about defining your own off season, you can race all year round if you travel, or flit between types. I know the received wisdom is that your body/mind needs a break from racing but I don’t think it’s as simple as that. I for one do not do anything like the volume/intensity of training for most of the received wisdom to apply to me, whether that be rest days, or complete break for a month and do something else, careful of overtraining etc. Mind is slightly different though, if it wasn’t for my November race I would be looking forward to not being in the cycle of taper, race, recover, try and juggle work, family etc for two weeks of hard train8ng and back to taper etc. I had a long bike ride just over a week ago instead of a long run, and it was great, but not what I needed in prep for my A race.

Aaahhh, the perennial race to train, train to race. Without racing I would still train, but nowhere near as rigorously, missing sessions are easy if you don’t have a race looming! I need races, PBs etc to give me an edge. I am at the age where PBs are getting harder, but then it is a case of setting different goals/challenges, and the beauty of AG racing is that everyone is in the same position!

I think running will be my focus next year and I am hoping to set pbs across every distance :shock: I normally set myself over-ambitious targets so time will tell. 8-)
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby jonathon.e » 14 Oct 2018 06:14

Jimba wrote:I think there is something about defining your own off season, you can race all year round if you travel, or flit between types. I know the received wisdom is that your body/mind needs a break from racing but I don’t think it’s as simple as that.

Aaahhh, the perennial race to train, train to race. Without racing I would still train, but nowhere near as rigorously, missing sessions are easy if you don’t have a race looming! I need races, PBs etc to give me an edge. I am at the age where PBs are getting harder, but then it is a case of setting different goals/challenges, and the beauty of AG racing is that everyone is in the same position!



A change is as good as a rest as they say. Articles that are written in magazines saying that you should take a break are written by pro's who do more training and racing than the average weekend warrior but they don't have day jobs. I need to be active, my desk job needs a balance of activity, so I try to be active all year.

Racing does take a toll eventually, but, it is basically a speed session, albeit an expensive one. However, I train on my own, racing against someone gives it that edge, the end result is just a time and position relevant to a course and competition, deep down I feel it is a privilege to race.

As for aspirations for the year, I guess I would like to get as close to 5hrs for a 70.3, but, I can dream .
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Jack Hughes » 18 Oct 2018 08:47

Work life balance is well out of whack.

conclusion: I really need the discipline enforced by doing some kind of racing.

I really want to be able to run though, cycling being relatively time consuming, although I want to get to the point where I can return to cycling into the office. Not sure why I have a mental block over it. It was never _that_ dangerous (although more scary than being sat in a car).

I actually stopped cycling through exhaustion, rather than anything else. So I definitely wouldn't do more than a few times a week.

The calf is really playing up - knacked it again bending down.

So, I need to get back to going to the gym for some S&C. Keep putting that off though. If only the gym was on the direct path between work and home, home and work. Excuses though.
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Kevy427 » 27 Oct 2018 11:42

Motivation has been at an all time low for me this year and I've found myself making excuses to not go out on the bike; too windy, too hot, I'll go tomorrow...then berate myself for not getting out! Had spells of training but lacking time because of being rather busy with work. No magazine of disappointment for the VLM this year but that was probably because I didn't enter the ballot.Not sure which is more of the disappointment though, not entering the ballot or receiving the magazine?! Running should be back on the menu fairly soon with the change of season upon us

Perhaps it's time for an event to focus on, something like the 'Couch to 5K'?
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Jack Hughes » 28 Oct 2018 16:37

Kevy427 wrote:Perhaps it's time for an event to focus on, something like the 'Couch to 5K'?


Couch to Buffet?
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Jimba » 29 Oct 2018 20:30

Kevy427 wrote:Motivation has been at an all time low for me this year and I've found myself making excuses to not go out on the bike; too windy, too hot, I'll go tomorrow...then berate myself for not getting out! Had spells of training but lacking time because of being rather busy with work. No magazine of disappointment for the VLM this year but that was probably because I didn't enter the ballot.Not sure which is more of the disappointment though, not entering the ballot or receiving the magazine?! Running should be back on the menu fairly soon with the change of season upon us

Perhaps it's time for an event to focus on, something like the 'Couch to 5K'?



Get something booked....or a few over a couple of months. Ditch the bike, it’s all about running these days :lol: :lol:
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Kevy427 » 29 Oct 2018 21:39

I used to do a lot of running and enjoyed AndyB's seasonal Half-Marathon Endomondodododo Challenge Thingee
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Jimba » 30 Oct 2018 07:56

Kevy427 wrote:I used to do a lot of running and enjoyed AndyB's seasonal Half-Marathon Endomondodododo Challenge Thingee


Don’t do the thingee challenge now Kevy, the admin for so many on the forum would be a nightmare :lol: :lol:
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Re: Seasons End ?

Postby Bopomofo » 30 Oct 2018 11:42

Kevy427 wrote:Motivation has been at an all time low for me this year and I've found myself making excuses to not go out on the bike; too windy, too hot, I'll go tomorrow...then berate myself for not getting out! Had spells of training but lacking time because of being rather busy with work. No magazine of disappointment for the VLM this year but that was probably because I didn't enter the ballot.Not sure which is more of the disappointment though, not entering the ballot or receiving the magazine?! Running should be back on the menu fairly soon with the change of season upon us

Perhaps it's time for an event to focus on, something like the 'Couch to 5K'?


Yep, all of this.

Jack Hughes wrote:Work life balance is well out of whack.

conclusion: I really need the discipline enforced by doing some kind of racing.

I really want to be able to run though, cycling being relatively time consuming, although I want to get to the point where I can return to cycling into the office. Not sure why I have a mental block over it. It was never _that_ dangerous (although more scary than being sat in a car).

I actually stopped cycling through exhaustion, rather than anything else. So I definitely wouldn't do more than a few times a week.

The calf is really playing up - knacked it again bending down.

So, I need to get back to going to the gym for some S&C. Keep putting that off though. If only the gym was on the direct path between work and home, home and work. Excuses though.


And this.

Kevy427 wrote:I used to do a lot of running and enjoyed AndyB's seasonal Half-Marathon Endomondodododo Challenge Thingee


And this, too.
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