I get a lot of questions from folks this time of year regarding the off season. How should they plan? What races should they choose? Do they need to join a gym? I just did a presentation for the DC Tri Club around this topic, and thought I would share some of my notes with you. They are below in their full glory…might put them into a recording someday, but for now if you have questions just post them in the comments section below!
Be well! ~P
1. Introduction
- So You Like Triathlon, Eh?
- Fun first, then Fitness
- Keep it interesting or burn out early!
2. Why you need to move from just training to a structured training plan
- Triathlon rewards consistency
- Gains are incremental, not “explosive”
- Moving forward requires moving backwards
- Going faster requires slowing down (sometimes)
3. Key concepts on how to structure your off-season for maximum impact
- Outline next year’s race goals & Write them down.
- Translate these goals into actions and file goals away: do, don’t think.
- Keep things simple + easy: basic week.
- Guidelines:
- Update basic week every 6-8 weeks based on gains / changes
- Avoid over-achieving in Winter
- Cross train to keep interest / motivation high.
4. Merging your long-term goals with your daily/weekly/monthly training
- Training to Train vs Training to Race
- Mind + Body Multitasking — High Demand Sport
- Scheduled Check Ins
- Testing, Weight, Mental State, etc.
5. Basic equipment list – here are some things you can consider getting in the offseason.
- Good bike that fits
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Some training log
- A training plan
- Access to core + flex essentials
- Access to Master’s swim
Hi, I'm Patrick McCrann. 
