Well the off season is always tough as I have to battle weight gain, illness, injury and dedication issues. This year has definitely been no different. I have fought two colds already one being pretty severe, a slightly pulled hamstring and late night Viking losses that cause me to miss my morning workout. Overall though this off season has been much better than last year. Last year I was battling a new breathing problem that was eventually diagnosed as asthma. I didn't seem to get back into my groove until almost April.
This year I came up with a new game plan. Since I'm doing Wisconsin IM I decided to keep a 12 mile running base. My goal was to keep a rather large cardio base and also keep the excess pounds off. It would also help motivate me to eat healthier and stay focused. So far so good. I have been hovering around 185 lbs instead of 195 last year. I also feel much better cardiovascularly than at this point last year. Goal attained.
I start ramping up my training on the 1st of the year so my relaxed period is almost over. Another good thing to come out of this strategy is it will make the transition from off season to preseason much easier. I will be purchasing a bike trainer this week and also want to get in a swim lesson from Duane Dobko in the next week or two as well. I'm taking a bit of a risk with this strategy with not letting my body rest as much as in the past but if this theory works it could mean being nominated for most improved two years in a row. Only time will tell at this point.
Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas or Holiday season and the next year is a great one.
