Your Time Off Isn't Time Wasted
We spent months wishing for a weekend with nothing on the schedule, but when we finally get one, it feels a little strange. You might feel agitated, a little antsy. You worry about losing fitness. You start looking at next year’s race calendar. You wonder how long you can take off before you start falling behind. You may even wonder why you should have to take time off in the first place! It’s funny how we can spend an entire season looking forward to a break and then struggle to give ourselves permission to actually take one.
I see this all the time, and I've felt it myself. When we're disciplined and driven, rest can start to feel like something we have to make up for. It can even feel like a threat to our goals and progress.
But recovery doesn’t get in the way of progress. It’s part of what allows progress to happen.
Rest Isn't a Debt We Have to Repay
Most of us are much better at setting goals for training than we are for recovery. During a training cycle, we have a plan, specific workouts, and numbers that tell us we’re on track. During a break, there’s no workout to check off and nothing to tell us whether we’re doing enough. It can seem like nothing is happening, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The body is getting time to rebuild. The mind is getting a break from the cognitive load of constant planning and the pressure of training and competing. We may notice things we don’t have room to notice when we’re chasing the next goal.
The phrase "earn your rest" is BS. Rest is not a prize for exhaustion. The only thing we win with under-recovery is slower reaction times, muscles that don’t have time to rebuild, and a higher risk of injury. Rest is part of the work. We don't have to earn it, and we don't have to pay it back later. Period.
What Comes Up When We Slow Down
Slowing down can bring up some uncomfortable feelings. Maybe it's frustration. Maybe it's anxiety. Maybe it's the feeling that we've lost a piece of ourselves when we're not working toward the next goal. When being an athlete is such a big part of our identity, time away can stir that up, and the quickest way to alleviate those feelings is to speed things up again. But that's not always the best decision in the big picture.
Our minds need room to notice what we're feeling instead of pushing past it. We're more than our training schedules, our race results, or the miles we logged this week. We're people first.
How to Make the Most of the Off-Season
Goals are allowed to change when circumstances change. Right now success means sleep, downtime, and weekends that have nothing to do with a training schedule. If you’re doing some easy riding and hiking, enjoy it for what it is and resist the urge to turn it into something more. Have fun with it!
Here are five things to try as you move through the off-season:
Set a goal that fits this phase. Decide what successful recovery looks like for you. Maybe it's consistent sleep, a break from tracking every ride, or enjoying movement without worrying about pace or distance. Treat it with the same respect you'd give a big training goal.
Ask one question each morning before you check your phone or look at your schedule: What do I need today? Some days the answer will be a ride. Other days it might be an earlier bedtime or a less rushed morning. Choose one small way to honor it, then notice how it feels to give your own needs the same attention you give your training plan.
Treat numbers as information. Expect your numbers to dip. That's a normal part of taking a break, not a sign that you're falling behind. If you're still checking your numbers, treat them as information, not a verdict on who you are as an athlete or how your season will go.
Look back before you look ahead. Before you dive into next year's race calendar, take some time to reflect on the season you just finished and give yourself some credit for what you put into it.
Keep some of your life on the calendar. Spend time with people you love and do something you enjoy that has nothing to do with improving your performance. Whatever you reconnect with now, whether it's family, friends, or a hobby that took a back seat, leave room for it when training ramps up. It’s part of what makes this sustainable.
And if you can’t seem to step away? If you keep sneaking in extra sessions because doing nothing feels much harder than doing something? You haven't missed your chance. These weeks are a good time to practice: take a ride without looking at the data or plan one weekend that has nothing to do with your training.
You can be a committed athlete and still take a break. Learning to do both is an important part of building a healthy, sustainable relationship with your sport.
At BaseCamp, we believe that every cyclist has the potential to achieve greatness, no matter where they start. Our mission is to create a community-driven training environment where cyclists and triathletes of all levels can train together, support each other, and grow stronger, faster, and more confident in their abilities. Our cycling training programs are expert driven and tailored to your needs. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, BaseCamp is where you belong.
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