Transitioning into the Off Season

by Kyle Wolfe, USAC Level 2D Coach

There are a few sure fire signs telling me that the current racing season is over: the big triathlon in Hawaii is done, the marathon is over, the leaves are piled on the front lawn and my girlfriend has about a thousand pumpkin scented candles all over the house.

Yup, the 2010 racing season is over.

So, unless you are one of the seventeen remaining people in the planet that did not take my advice last year and start cyclocross racing, it is time to start thinking about transitioning into the off season and getting ready for next year.

The first thing to do is take a break. Put the bike away, burn the running shoes and peel the foam off of the goggles.  I often tell my clients to stop riding for at least a full week, and maybe tack on an extra weekend just for fun.  Maybe a nice night out with your significant other; make up for all of those early nights and earlier mornings.  In the old days, I used to stay late a few nights at work to make it look like I still cared.

Your body also needs to heal and recover. This is a great time to deal with all of the issues that have been bothering you this year.  For instance, if you are having joint or muscles issues, see the doctor or the chiropractor to get the healing process going.  It might be worth taking a longer amount of time off to make sure that you are one hundred percent ready for next year.

Once you have addressed your body, now you should address the season itself. How did you do?  Did you reach your goals?  Were you close or way off?  Were your goals too high or did you not properly prepare?  How is your equipment?  Need something new or how about dropping off the bike at the local shop for a week long complete overhaul?

These can be tough questions and it is important that you are introspective but not too critical of yourself.  I usually like to discuss the highs and lows of the season with my clients and turn the bad events into learning experiences on how to avoid them next year.  Often bad results can be blamed on things like not packing the left shoe, or staying in a scary motel and stuff like that.  These are things that can be easily avoided again.  If it was a fitness issue, then hopefully your training plan can be adjusted to tune up those weak parts or maybe it is time to realize that the 245 lb track sprinter from the city shouldn’t be doing races with the word “mountain” in it.

It is important to remember that becoming a high quality athlete might actually take longer than one year!  So, the lessons learned in 2010 can be applied in force in 2011.

As soon as you have dealt with your body and your goals, it is time to think about long range goals for next year and how to maintain your fitness in some fun and different ways. Check back for more articles about the off season soon!

Kyle has raced at the elite level across the US and Europe, and continues to race his bicycle at the Elite and Masters level for road and cyclocross where he has enjoyed a lot of success and fun over the past years.  Kyle is also a licensed USA Cycling official, an UCI registered Directeur Sportif and of course, a certified USA Cycling coach.

Looking for new ways to have fun and stay fit now that your season is over?  Check out some of our newest Training Plans.  From yoga to TRX Core Strength to mountaineering plans, we've got something to keep everyone in shape and enjoying the off-season!