How to Survive the Off-Season

What is the “off-season”?

Months ago I read an article on Runner’s World about taking a break from running. The article was really interesting and something I’d never heard of–at the time, of course. Here is an excerpt:

“Make it last. Take at least one three- or four-week break each year. Three to four weeks is an optimal layoff duration because research shows that it takes that long for muscles to truly rehabilitate themselves after hard training.

Time it right. The best time to take a three-week break is at the end of your racing season, after a marathon or whenever your enthusiasm for running wanes.”

Months ago when I read that article I thought, “That’s kind of an interesting concept. Maybe I should do that after Hood to Coast.” I quickly dismissed it, realizing that I would NEVER take a break unless I was forced to (i.e. injury or sickness). It’s stupid, I know, but a lot of runners are the same way.

Running is an addiction for a lot of people. A healthy addiction, but it really does become part of who you are when you identify as a runner. So what happens when that’s taken away? You can wallow. Or whine.

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Or drink.

OR you can use it as an opportunity to grow.

1. Take a class you never had time for while training season was going on. For the last year I’ve been training for something. The Shamrock 8k. Reach the Beach. Hood to Coast. Training, training, training. I most likely over-trained (hence the injury). Honestly, if I hadn’t had to take time off right now I’d be training for the Las Vegas Half Marathon. Immediately following something like Hood to Coast is a bad idea and I realize that now.

Since I was training all year, I never took classes I wanted to take at the gym: yoga, hot yoga, Spin, Kick-boxing, or pilates. Those are all goals I’ve had and I’ve postponed them in lieu of running. After all, I never had “time” to try classes because I was always running and Training.

2. Learn something new. Try a Cross-Fit gym or a Boot Camp and really get your butt kicked!

3. Focus on technique. If your focus was always distance, change to speed and vice versa.

4. Ride a bike. Cycling is one of the best activities out there. It’s easier on the joints and body than running and it gives you a great workout. All of the cycling training I did for Reach the Beach actually improved my running abilities too!

5. If the weather is nasty and you can’t get outside, get on the bike trainer. It’s not quite the same as riding my bike outside but it’s  a good alternative and it’s better than doing nothing.

6. Weight training. Now’s the time to see a personal trainer (just not a Ding Bat Trainer 🙂 ) and learn how to properly use weights and develop a weight lifting routine. Focusing on strength training is a good way to get over weight loss plateaus and to prevent future running injuries.

7. Find a machine in the gym you’ve never used and become an Expert at it. My machine of choice right now? The Row Machine. It’s a machine I always overlooked for some reason; but it’s also now one of the few cardio machines I can do without pain.

8. Try Swimming. Swimming is the magical cure in my eyes. It’s the one thing I could still do after injuring myself. Swimming is the perfect workout for your entire body. If lap swimming isn’t your thing, try water aerobics. Depending on the teacher, water aerobics can be a hard workout!

QUESTION: Have you ever taken an extended break from a workout? What did you do to stay sane?