So, you completed your first duathlon. Maybe you “caught the bug” and completed two or three duathlons. As the winter months approach, your inaugural duathlon season has probably come to an end. Now it’s time to enter the off-season. The off-season is a time to rest, reflect, and prepare for the next season. While most of us are not professional or elite athletes and will never come near that level, even the top athletes take time away from training and competing at some point each year. Using the off-season wisely will not only get your body in the right condition but can help you mentally prepare for the upcoming racing season.
Often, the potential value of an off-season is lost on many. It’s easy to take for granted how much we ask of our body over time. You’ve just spent several months pushing your body to its limits, so think of the off-season as a time of recovery. Regular training and competition places a certain amount of wear and tear on your body. When you don’t allow for the necessary physiological repair and recovery to occur, your risk to injury increases. Furthermore, training at the same level of intensity and at the same volume year-round can be detrimental and can lead to over-training.
Ultimately, the main objective of the off-season is to improve your physical aspects (e.g. strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility) in order to get ahead of the competition next season. It can also be used to address some of the physical imbalances that are inherent with regularly participating in duathlons. I've found focusing on functional strength and flexibility to be especially effective in off-season training. It is a great way to build a strong foundation and numerous studies have shown that strength training can help improve running and cycling performance.
The off-season is about finding a balance between recovery and the maintenance of fitness. You definitely should avoid doing any hard workouts in the off-season. However, cross-training can be used to allow active recovery while helping you preserve a base level of fitness by utilizing other muscle groups. This is especially useful if you're injured or struggling with nagging aches and pains. Best of all, this is an ideal time to try a different type of exercise (e.g. indoor rowing, yoga, Pilates) that you wouldn’t usually have the chance to during your regular training. Look for activities to help build your aerobic base and improve your muscle balance and core stability. Once the season starts, you can possibly include this cross-training as a secondary or supplemental activity. Also, pick your winter races (e.g. 5k, 10k) in a way which will complement your training and set you up for success when duathlon season begins.
The off-season also serves as a means to refresh yourself mentally as well as physically. The off-season is especially important mentally when training starts to feel like a chore. A loss of motivation or interest in training can signal that burnout is fast approaching. Mentally, the break is refreshing because it’s a time when you don’t make training the main priority. Furthermore, it can be a good time to address issues you’ve been putting off during the season.
Lastly, there is no one -size-fits-all approach for the off-season. It depends on your mindset, how demanding of an effort you put in during the season and how demanding your training was throughout the year. You may feel you need more time or a little less. It’s important to be honest with yourself. Also, use this time to reevaluate the past season, assess what went well, identifying what went wrong, and where you can improve to avoid repeating mistakes.
While rest is important, the off-season doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing. The off-season sets the foundation for a successful year. Not only will it help you to recover physically and psychologically, the off-season can be a time of reflection on a demanding competitive season. The off-season should always be approached with a focus on becoming a better duathlete.