Winter

As the days get longer and colder, it becomes harder to get out there and train. Although this is time for rest and recuperation, you still need to get some training in. I love the cold snowy days for training because I feel like I have the entire trail to myself and most of the times I do. Most people chose to sit inside by the fireplace and relax with a good book.

If you're going to go out, make sure you wear the right clothes. First, leave the cotton at home. It might be nice and cozy but as soon as it gets wet, it gets heavy and loses its ability to keep you warm. Your base layer should be either a high-tech wicking material or low-tech wool. Wool has many of the qualities of the newer manufactured products and has come a long way in the last ten years. Smartwool produces a line of socks, pants and shirts that don't itch and will keep you warm and dry.

I don't worry about my feet getting wet unless I step into a puddle or through some ice. Unless it's really warm, the snow won't melt and your feet will stay dry.
I almost always wear a stocking cap and gloves. You lose most of your heat out your head so a hat is critical to staying warm. Whenever I run either long or hard, the circulation to my hands seems to be decreased. During the winter, this leads to cold hands so I always wear a pair of gloves. Really cold days, it's mitton and neck gaiter time.

Stay warm, keep running and enjoy the snow.

Opportunity

When opportunity knocks, how do you know to open the door and once that door is opened, how do you know you should take the opportunity? This is my current dilemma. A new opportunity has appeared and I'm not sure how hard to pursue it or even if I want to chase it.

Why should I chase it? It's triathlon related but it's in a direction that I've never considered before. Since it is a triathlon opportunity, it caught my interest and that started the pursuit. In general, I'm usually up for anything as long as it's skiing, running or triathlon related.

In 2007, I had the privilege of being on the Inside Triathlon team and that was great. I don't know what I expected when it started but by the end, I was having a great time. The chance to race and represent something was very satisfying. Although the new opportunity isn't a sponsorship, it is similar. If things go well, I could actually earn a little cash to help cover this expensive habit.

Why should I let the chance pass me by? I'm already working full-time, volunteering for four different groups and training. Even though it's winter, I'm still busy and with snow starting to fall, ski patrol is starting to consume more time. I guess the time committment is the biggest negative.

For now I guess I'll do what I do best and gather more information to help make an informed decision.

Ski Season

The weather has finally turned, Thanksgiving has come and it's time for the 2007/08 ski season.

After a couple weekends of training and too little snow, Winter Park opened. Last weekend was my first weekend on the mountain. As has become the normal opening over the last few seasons, we were patrolling out of the Arrow lift shack. It's not the best accommodations but it works.

I think one of the best parts about being on the patrol are my fellow patrollers. From the old hands spinning tales of the good old days to the new patrollers trying to figure out where they fit in, it's a great group.

Here's to a great and safe season.

Rest

Perhaps the most missed workout of any training plan is the rest day. Most triathletes are highly motivated and ambitious people and a day of rest just doesn't seem to fit with the personality. When not training we are working around the house or in the office. Since I work full-time, taking a day completely off is out of the question. I need both Saturday and Sunday to get in the long rides and runs and to complete the house work. Monday is the default day of rest but it's also a work day.

So how to get a good rest day? Start on Saturday and Sunday with the afternoon nap. It's not a complete rest day but a nap is a great way to recover and help prepare for the next day. On Monday, try to take it easy at work.

Holidays

With the approaching holiday season, most athletes are entering the worst time of the year. Office parties, cookie exchanges, family gatherings, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Six weeks of family and food. How to survive without alienating family and friends while still maintaining some level of fitness?

I like to start each day during the holidays with either thirty minutes running or on the trainer. That way I've got my workout in before I hit the food. You would be amazed how much damage you can control with just thirty minutes. Will you lose some fitness? Maybe a little but at least you won't be starting from nothing on New Year's Day.

So remember, before you hit the party seen, hit the training. It'll make January that much easier.

Post Season

Unless you’re training for an iron distance triathlon in March, chances are you’re in the winter training doldrums. Your last A-race is over and you don’t have any races for at least five months. The first US 70.3 race is over eighteen weeks away and IM-AZ is twenty weeks away.

With all this spare time on your hands, what should you be doing? If your last big race was the IM Championships, IM-FL or 70.3 Championships, you should be taking it easy for a few weeks. To recover from the Chicago Marathon, I stopped swimming and biking and just kept running. You shouldn’t have a lot of structure to your exercise. I was just running for 30 – 40 minutes depending upon how I felt. No tempo runs, no intervals, just running for the joy of running.

One great benefit of unstructured workouts is the mental recovery. All season you’ve been pushing yourself. Everyone does it. During a tough workout or race we start playing the just mind game. It goes something like: just run to the next aid station, just one more hill repeat, just one more interval. Mental toughness is as critical to success in triathlons as swimming, cycling, running, transitions and nutrition. Eventually the mental well starts to run dry and like a reservoir after a drought, it takes time to fill up. Take this time to recharge.

Writing

If the only way to become proficient at something is to practice, then I need to practice the art of writing. To that end, it's time to practice. While some writers might be born, I think most writers have spent a lot of time honing their craft.

I recently bought Moonwar by Ben Bova. I remember reading his Exile Trilogy when I was in elementary school and decided to take a chance on something newer. I didn't know if his newer works would meet the expectations my memories had of his older work. Memories are tricky things. We remember the good times better than they were and we have a tendency to suppress the bad times. Anyway, Ben Bova's new works are as good as I remember his old work. I literally couldn't put down the book and finished it in only a few days.