The Post Season 5 "Rs"

By Bob Byard, Certified USAT Level II Long Course Triathlon, ASCA, USAC, USATF & ISSA Coach

Written 1 Jan 20 Reviewed 5 Nov 24

First of all, I hope that 2024 was a successful year for you – whether it was doing races or just staying fit! What follows is an emphasis on not wasting the experiences you’ve had (and hopefully learned from) and I’ll offer some suggestions on what you can do to get ready for 2024. The “Post Season” (i.e. Nov -Jan) may be here, but it isn’t the “Stop Season.” Capitalize on making the best use of the next couple of months. I’d suggest the five “Rs”: Refuel, Relax, Reflect, Refocus, and Repair….

Refuel -- Proper nutrition is still important. Keep you junk food intake low; get and stay well hydrated; and eat at least 5 times a day (I didn’t say meals). When you eat, ask yourself, “What am I going to be doing for the next three hours of my life?” and eat with that in mind. One recommended ratio in planning what you eat is 3 parts carbohydrates, 2 parts protein, and 1 part fats – simply stated, carbs are for the energy you need, the protein is important for repair and growth, and fats (the HDL type) help specific body systems. The best caution I can give you is that carbohydrates and protein have 4 calories per gram, alcohol has 7, and fats have nine calories per gram….you do the math!

Relax -- Enjoy yourself; do something different. Do bike spin classes, try trail running, go for walks, do some mountain biking, or do something you’ve been putting off (bunge jumping from the Tower of the Americas doesn’t count) – get your mind clear and refresh yourself. Hey, spend some time with your family or “significant other”! You need some time to “recharge the batteries” so you can start the new year off right. Don’t worry about race times or splits. Keep a positive attitude and upbeat perspective on your “down time”. Take a break!

Reflect -- Look back on the year and evaluate it. Hopefully without getting depressed or excessively concerned, objectively review your performances and accomplishments during 2022. Did you do or accomplish what you wanted? Figure out what went well and not so good (and why) and what you want to improve on (and how). Use this evaluation as a start point for next year’s planning. Think about major goals or races; sit down with a calendar and sketch out goals and a plan for 2023. After selecting challenging, yet doable events or objectives, construct a training plan to achieve what you want.

Refocus – Look at your specific sport strengths and weakness. Look back at your training progression goals and, in turn, racing results should highlight them. Identify your strong sport(s) – maintain those desired basic and advanced abilities, but at a reduce WKO frequency or duration, that will allow you more time to address abilities in a “weaker” sport. Point is: draw back smartly on your strong sport(s) and put that time towards improving “limiters”. This time in your Season is also the best time to work on strength, flexibility and ROM issues. :It’ll pay big benefits in the new year

Repair -- Fix what needs attention, your body and otherwise. If you’ve been dragging around a nagging injury, quit being stubborn and see a specialist! If you got through the Season without injury, congrats! Don’t totally hibernate though! I’d suggest a Master’s swim group to keep your technique fresh, a running group for some social running, and some fun cycling with friends – all to keep fit and on “tweaking” some specific skills. Don’t forget to continue (or start?) an easy strength and flexibility regime. If you cycle, don’t forget to fix that bike noise or rub you’ve been meaning to fix all year (see, it WAS your bike, not you)… Get a major bike tune-up (maybe new tires or components) or “winterize” it before you store it for a while. And check out your running shoes; maybe they need a break too – replace them if needed.

Soooo, refuel your body wisely, relax and enjoy some “down” time, reflect on the past year’s events, refocus your WKO efforts, and repair both body and equipment – all in preparation for an awesome 2023. As always, train hard, race smart, and stay safe.