Running With Jack

I was thinking about my post from yesterday, and a couple comments that some of you left. I think for me there are several factors that add to a decline in my performance in the autumn.

I have been running races for almost three years now and each year I have had a longer event in September or October. So I hit a peak in training at the end of August (or September) and really don't have any major races again until March, so I guess this is the end of race season if there is such a thing.

It is also the busiest time of year for me at work, so this also has an influence on my training, mostly due to getting less sleep and being more stressed out I guess.

I also think during I tend to slow down and enjoy my running more. I guess this is more mental than physical. I really enjoy autumn, the changing leaves, the cooler weather, and the fresh air. I find less reason to rush through my runs, rather I take my time and try to take in all that my trails have to offer (before the freezing temperatures of winter force me to speed up again).

I guess lastly I choose the November/December timeframe as my “rest” time. There are very few longer races in my area during these months, so for me it is a good time to slow down and let the body regenerate. I think we all need to do this, but confess that my ideal of “taking it easy” is probably not everyone else’s. On the other side many train harder during their “rest” phases than I do during my peak race training. I guess we all need to know what are bodies need, I’m still learning, and will continue to do so because I am not getting any younger either.

Usually around Christmas I start worrying about the holiday weight gain and have more time to browse/drool over the upcoming year’s race schedule, so start getting serious about my training again. Most of the longer races (marathon and above) in Germany fall between March and October, so my training cycle usually kicks off right after Christmas.

So what about you guys, do you have a rest phase during your training year?