How bad does it get for most of you? We have talk about post-ironman blues on here all the time, but how bad does it really get? Seems reasonable to enjoy some time off, get a little bit of rest, and have a few extra beers some nights in the weeks after race season ends. Fewer endorphins might affect mood, but how common is it for people to fall into serious depression?
For me its deffo a case of “shut the fuck up whinging and pull your head out of your ass”, as in that’s what i have to slap myself with to get back to it… after a great season, which a week after smashing my A race hit by a car and 3 months slow recovery i went from best form in years to same shape as 12 months ago… ie starting all over again… gained 14 pounds and am now going like shit… . the truth of it is… its not going to fix itself so best get on with it… i have my health, a gorgeous awesome family and a garage full of bikes… not much to be down about really…
But yeah the low is real and sucks… and can be hugely destructive… best of luck getting through it if you have it…
How bad does it get for most of you? We have talk about post-ironman blues on here all the time, but how bad does it really get? Seems reasonable to enjoy some time off, get a little bit of rest, and have a few extra beers some nights in the weeks after race season ends. Fewer endorphins might affect mood, but how common is it for people to fall into serious depression?
Actually, i think it’s pretty damn common and hence my feeling is that you have to do something in the way of some sort of exercise, be it skiing if you live in the north, surfing in CA/Hawaii, or just a long walk in any climate. Long (3-4 mi on weekdays, 6-10 mi on weekends) walks with my dog(s) have been a staple recovery item for me since HS swimming. At least you’re getting some mild exercise and you’re outside. Depending on how my swim muscles are feeling, i have often swum 6 days/wk, 12 months/yr, but on occasion i will take complete SBR break and just do walks with the dog. Also, i use times like these to clean up and organize the house, do some extra yard work, etc. Just stay busy and don’t think too much:)
Seems reasonable to enjoy some time off
Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger.
always get a bit blue in the offseason. Hence i take up other things. Road cycling, running events etc. Set little goals on low key single sport races etc.
Especially bad for me this year as I plan out next year. The division of my company I work for got sold to a competitor. The good news is I’ll still be employed. The bad news is I lose half of my vacation time meaning my days of taking time off to travel to races, or time off to train for things like a full Ironman are over. Looks like I’ll be racing closer to home and shorter distances. 
Ironically, my new company is all about encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
I don’t do well with not moving. A few days after a big race when I am still in pain, sure, but even after the soreness is gone I feel like I have to do something.
That said, when it is officially “off season” my training sessions simply become “for fun” for a while. There is no need for 10+ mile runs so I just go out for an easy 5 or so. No pace goals. Just a short run. No reason to ride myself into the ground. Just a trainer session. Usually Sufferfest with Trainer Road set to a low percentage so I get to be entertained by the video instead of actually suffering to it. That sort of thing is more than enough to make me feel satisfied that I have gone and “moved” for the day.
No depression here, but I’ve had issues with suddenly being sick every time I try to get back into training again. 2 weeks off running have turned into 6. Plan is to ease back into it by doing the bare minimum of the 100/100 challenge.
How bad does it get for most of you? We have talk about post-ironman blues on here all the time, but how bad does it really get? Seems reasonable to enjoy some time off, get a little bit of rest, and have a few extra beers some nights in the weeks after race season ends. Fewer endorphins might affect mood, but how common is it for people to fall into serious depression?
Triathlon, road racing, martial arts…what is this season end of which you speak?
John
. Plan is to ease back into it by doing the bare minimum of the 100/100 challenge.
Did I miss this challenge this year? I always thought it started during the holidays or am I mistaken?
but how common is it for people to fall into serious depression?
you know, i never had PMS, in pregnancy i was an even keel, never depressed, saiing though menopause (now, checking with my husband on all these he might say i was a raging hormonal bitch but he’s wrong :)) but NEVER depressed.
cue running. cue swimming. cue biking. started all in my 50s. if i take more than a day off (and note, i get NO endorphins, no highs anymore in trainign) i am SO DEPRESSED it isn;t funny… i hate life, hate my kids, my kids are all turning degenerates, lives are ruined, etc. WEIRD. cue a run, life is rosy, kids are great, future is amazing.
go figure.
this year i’m going from race to race. and i did the offseason thing the first year. ever since i keep on doing some SBR throughout the year
sept, dec, jan, march, and then more
. Plan is to ease back into it by doing the bare minimum of the 100/100 challenge.
Did I miss this challenge this year? I always thought it started during the holidays or am I mistaken?
Set to start on the 15th.
. Plan is to ease back into it by doing the bare minimum of the 100/100 challenge.
Did I miss this challenge this year? I always thought it started during the holidays or am I mistaken?
Set to start on the 15th.
Always on the 15th.
John
It doesn’t help that the off season coincides with 4 months of no sun here in central Ohio.
I can never figure out if I am bummed because I am not training or because it is dark when I leave work.
I have a harder time with post-season depression with each passing year. I tend to race a lot during the season so it is not usually linked to one particular race. However, when I get to the end of a year, I’m never sure if I will be able to reach that level of fitness again. Hence, I get a little (or a lot) down in the dumps about that uncertainty. With that in mind, my off season seems to get shorter and shorter each year. In the past few years, I have raced until mid to late November with the goal of doing nothing structured until Jan 1. This year, I’ve already started a rough structure to my training. Similar to kathy caribe, I tend to have a negative view of “my world” when I don’t move in a day. Since this season ended in mid-November, I’ve missed about 2 days of exercise. That has included snow shoveling, dog walks and calf raises during my sons hockey practices/games, which I typically wouldn’t count. In the off season, that stuff does count to me. Also, I have taken a page out of Dev Paul’s book. When crunched for time, I have done a bunch of 1 mile jogs in the middle of my work day to keep the legs moving. So far, I have not encountered too much post-season depression.
After the Tahoe cancellation, things got pretty bad for me. I eventually started focusing on running exclusively (haven’t biked or run in months,) and the “fun” part is enjoying all of the single sport running success. I still have a few more weeks of this before I get back into triathlon mode.
It doesn’t help that the off season coincides with 4 months of no sun here in central Ohio.
I can never figure out if I am bummed because I am not training or because it is dark when I leave work.
This
It’s always a problem for me especially in wisconsin with loss of daylight and cold weather which limit other activities.
I joined the Y a few weeks ago and have started taking some spin and weight classes which have been fun and I’ve made some new friends in the process. It’s definitely added some life to my off season training.
I still struggle with focus and motivation but the next couple weeks will be spent working out a race and training schedule for 2015 which always motivates me.