Mid Season Blahs Can Produce End Season "Blossoms"*
by Marilyn Trout (http://bicyclecoach.com/profile.php?id=358)

We are a strange lot aren’t we.

We discipline ourselves to get up in darkness on a chilly winter morning so we can make our heart rate soar and our muscles ache before we get off to work. We dream of the day when we can simply throw on jersey and shorts to feel the warmth of summer. Well then, why in the world do we balk at doing any kind of workout during these dog days of summer? For sure, this question is too deep to be contemplated by myself. I’m satisfied with the answer that we’re strange…so now what do we do.

(For those of you who live in warmer climates, the issue may not be the gloves, tights, balaclava, booties situation like those hardy souls of the north but certainly there is the August “burn-out” that comes from a lot of time in the saddle these past six months or so.)

OK we’ve got that question taken care of, now onto more important ones like…Is the season a wash? Can the February enthusiasm come back? What about the season’s goal that is coming up in October?

No. Yes. Not a problem.

Now is the time to think about the 3R’s.

Refreshment. Renewal. Refocus.

1. Refreshment – One very important thing I learned after my retirement from the National Team, was that fitness was NOT lost in a day off or even a few more. Indeed, laziness didn’t take home any medals, but, most often than not, we Type A people don’t get enough rest or refreshment. Go hiking or do some other fun activities and if you must, enter it into your training journal as “cross-training”. If your event or race is in October, consider taking a week off the bike soon. If it’s in September, take 4-7 days off and if it’s at the end of this month, I still would suggest taking up to 4 days off. Believe it. More times than not, we can do much more with less. The scary part is exercising a bit of faith and stepping off the edge that first time.
2. Renewal - Remember a quote I shared a while back, “the body will only do what the mind allows it to do.” Both body and mind need refreshment. Take time to infuse energy into your mind. Read a good book. Biographies are inspirational treasure chests. I would be happy to share a list of excellent books that I have recommended to my athletes. Renew your love for the sport. Once you get back on the bike, don’t jump immediately into the structure of intervals… Enjoy the winding roads or trails and the freedom that we get from pedaling a two-wheeled velocipede. Take a few days to do this and then start the build process.
3. Refocus – Close your eyes and take a moment to transport yourself ahead to the end of this season. Focus in on what you would like to write down as goals accomplished this season. (I believe accomplishing task goals far outweigh performance goals.) They probably are not far off from the goals you set at the end of ’06. Now, simply refocus on what has always been there.

A word of caution…don’t make long term decisions when you are short on rest. Vince Lombardi wisely said, “fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

Take a simple, intentional approach with the 3 R’s to your mid season blahs for some end season “blossoms”.

* Being a Coach/Landscaper, I couldn’t help myself.