Conquering the triathlon off-season
When the triathlon season is over and winter is upon us, the issue on every triathlete’s mind is how to stay fit and in shape during the off-season.
Daylight is declining, there are fewer hours in the day, it is freezing cold outside and thoughts tend to drift away from the thrill of racing and onto seasonal matters such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties.
Triathlon is, of course, one of the fastest growing sports in the world. There are currently around 350 affiliated triathlon clubs in Great Britain, while an estimated 18% of all participants in triathlons in the UK this year were first-timers.
Many of these first-timers will be curious about what happens during the off-season, and how they should vary their training.
There may be no races scheduled over the winter months, but an equally mighty task awaits all triathlon enthusiasts – the battle to stay focused and maintain fitness levels when the temptation may be to stay in and stop training.
USN, who endorse top triathletes Lisa Picton, Graham Wadsworth, Gayle Vickers and Richard Sumpter, have plenty of tips for those wondering what they should do during the off-season.
The good news is that toning down your general training plan is no bad thing. Studies have shown that 77% of triathletes are active general sports participants, so shifting your focus away from triathlon and onto other sports is a natural move.
But the key issue is maintaining a steady level of fitness. Not competition fitness, but good general fitness, slowly building your levels as spring approaches. Then, when the season kicks off again in May, you’ll be ready for action.
Picton’s plan
USN ambassador Picton is an accomplished triathlete, who recently finished fourth in the 35-39 age group at Ironman Wales. She has a dedicated off-season training plan that gets her out and about when the winter gloom descends.
Picton said: “From October to January, there are fewer hours in the day, so I tend to average about 10-12 hours training per week.
“I think the winter is a great time to work on, and improve, your technique in each of the triathlon disciplines. I tend to spend more of my time in the pool doing drills and I will also do more off-road mountain biking to work on my bike-handling skills.
“It is also a good time to do some focused gym workouts to improve your strength and conditioning ready for the race season training.
“My training mix in the winter months is roughly 40% running, 30% cycling, 20% swimming and 10% gym work. This sets me up nicely for the start of the season.
“I am a very dedicated person and, if I have a plan to follow, I will stick to it rigidly, even if it means going out to train in the wind and rain. I will still go and do what I have to do, so I see my dedication as a strength.”
The key to success
Another obstacle to overcome during off-season training is the temptation to simply stop exercising. Without the clear goal of a race or the daily discipline of training, an off-season lifestyle can easily degrade an athletic physique into an out-of-shape mess. These issues mean that athletes will also have to work inordinately hard to get back into shape.
For recreational athletes without a high-priced training staff at their disposal, this is a real dilemma, and overcoming this is the key to off-season training.
It would be much easier to simply stay in shape, albeit at a lower training intensity than during one's competitive peak. However, with a slightly toned down training plan, which keeps your sessions varied and interesting, a successful off-season is achievable.
USN’s top off-season triathlon training tips
Don’t be put off by freezing water: Conditions permitting, use the opportunity to practice in open water - natural bodies of water that don't provide the navigational cues of lane separators or markers. Use on-shore landmarks or buoys as visual reference points.
Take USN Diet Fuel Ultralean to stay in shape: This weight control nutrition shake contains added chromium and glucomannon for the fast reduction of body fat and maintenance of lean muscle tissue.
Experiment with your training kit: Test out and wear-in any new equipment for fit, feel and reliability. Surprises are the last thing you want on race day. This also makes your training interesting.
Vary your training: Do hill or power workouts, enjoy group runs and rides and look for ways to vary your training, including different sports (even something like cross-country skiing or in-line skating). Remember, keeping active and sporty in general is important.
Hit the gym if it’s too cold outside: Work out with weights to increase your power and improve lean mass, but continue to include your other training workouts, as weights are mostly an anaerobic activity and don't build aerobic endurance.