As racing season draws to a close, chances are you are just about to run your big race for the year or maybe you ran it in the last couple of weeks. You have achieved your goal for the year: You conquered the marathon or the half or maybe even your first ultra. So now what?
As you bask in the awesomeness of your incredible achievement you may find yourself now without a goal and your runs are losing focus. Never fear, the off season is here!
Just like all athletes I highly recommend taking some time away from running. I’m not talking months here but a few weeks of letting your body completely recover is probably just what you need. This will give you some time to look back at your accomplishments and enjoy them, then start to think about what comes next. How are you going to challenge yourself next? What are my new running goals and how am I going to achieve them? These are all questions you can ask yourself while you relax and give your body some much needed rest.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and taking some time away from running will help you avoid burn out as well. Remember, I am not talking months here, I am talking about a couple of weeks. I type this now as I enjoy the final days of my two-week break from running after the Ozarks 100, and honestly I can’t wait to get back to running next week. I know what I want to achieve next year and I am starting to formulate a plan on how to achieve it. Recover well and I’ll see you in the miles to come.
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