What I did last year, and plan to do this year, is go through a 3-4 month offseason in which I really focus on swimming. By hitting a master's class 4 x week, I got in a lot more yards than I do when training for tri, and I got them in when I was rested. Other than that, I just biked and ran when I felt like it, which worked out to maybe 1 bike and 1-2 easy runs per week. This resulted in a big decrease in overall volume vs. the training season, most of the volume was swimming so nothing on the legs, and I improved my swim alot.

Rich, The older I get (46) the less time I take off. Last year I had no off season and this year I will continue to train through the winter. I even do "interval" type work year round, but I keep the volume very reasonable. 3 x 800m at the track with a warm-up and cool down 800 is all I'm interested in at the moment. That allows for a good effort but also I feel its quite safe. Now I'm more focused on quality then trying to rack up huge volumes, so over-training or excessive wear-tear on the body has not been an issue. I'd rather be consistent over the long haul. I enjoy training but when I get mentally fatigued I'll take time off...1-2x/yr I'll take a week off. Extended recovery, like post IM, is dictated by the body, not the calendar. My rule of thumb to avoid overtraining/injury is if 15 mins or so into a workout and mentallky or physically I just don't have it, I pack it in. Interesting thread.

At 46, female, and only in this activity for the last three years, I also find I don't take much of an off-season, at least not as the younger people do. The main reason is that I find if I get out of the habit, it's much harder at this age to restart the program. Also my reasons for being in this sport are for my long-term health and well-being, not necessarily for the races since I will never be anything but a BOP'er. I do the races in order to set goals, but have no expectations other than finishing healthy. So once the race seaons ends, I very happily run or ride or swim, 5-6 days per week, but mostly aerobic with the idea to keep fit. It must be much different for people who can be completitive.

All of us living in a colder winter climate, young and old are forced to change our training patterns in the winter. If we get lots of snow, running is replaced by cross country skiing and the bike goes indoors on a trainer. No more open water swims, it's the indoor pool at the YMCA. Also do more weights.

I personally find motivation is a bit harder in winter and most of all I miss our regular group rides. I do lose some fitness and gain a few lbs over the winter. Physical activity becomes more recreational and less specific until about the begining of April. Also I take off about two or three weeks and do nothing over X-mas, but then enter a 10 kms run early in the New Year. It's a killer after not training, but my usual sub normal performance then motivates me to get back at it.

Good thread and one, at age 47, I am interested in.

I swim alot, maybe 5 days+ a week in the winter. During breaks from teaching, I'll do looonnnnggg yardage (well, long for me)weeks just as a kind of goal, much like Dan was suggesting awhile back. I have found that it keeps my aerobic base solid, but doesn't beat my legs up in the cold and icy weather. It also has a tendancy to add/keep weight on though, so this winter I have a goal of really working on my diet and nutrition. That is my big fcus this winter.

I've never understood the theory of quitting all workouts for 1-2 months in the off-season. If you're not injured and not mentally fried, why quit? I've found a more successful off-season is to stop running for 6-8 weeks to heal up ITB problems, but continue with the swim and bike. Due to family schedules, there are random weeks where no swimming gets done and other weeks where the biking doesn't happen over the winter. If you're not injured, I think taking loooong breaks from workouts is counter--productive.

"If you're not injured, I think taking loooong breaks from workouts is counter--productive."

My wife pulled a groin muscle while running last winter. It was quite bad, at first she could barely walk. She had to take a full three months off and then come back very slowly. In this time she was seeing chiros, PT's, accupuncturist and the family physician with minimal results. In the end time was the healer. She was not at anywhere near her best once the tri season started and was quite worried abut her performance. Amazingly she had her best year ever (we just do sprints/Olys)which included several podiums and a 3rd overall female in one race. Her run and bike times were a noticeably faster than last year. It really makes us wonder if taking time off to allow the body time to repair itself, whether injured or not, might be a good thing.