Off Season.

Off Season.

Last year my kind of Off Season was sneaking in runs. Adding on, say... 25 extra miles to an already strenuous venture through the Grand Canyon. An occasional 'oh whoops, I have no idea how I ended up biking that many extra miles.' Guilty!  


This year, as hard as it is for a stubborn-always-on-the-go-do-not-want-to-slow-down-hard-headed-do-it-my-way-girl, I truly took time OFF.

Like off off. Like absolutely nothing. ZERO. and guess what...

I liked it    > HA!, HATED every second.  But I did survive :)  


T continues to help me see... 

'Training hard is easy; recovery takes courage and confidence.'  

↑ Maybe that is why I have such a tough time with the whole recovery thing.  Confidence is hard to be had.  It is for me anyways.  I was reading on another blog that said many people see 'training hard as a sacrifice.. but for me that is where I thrive.  Sacrifice comes when I'm asked to not do the things I love and RELAX.'

Relax. Recover. Rest.  Really, it is pretty damn simple.  This whole process is actually pretty dang easy when you have the confidence to follow the rules.  

♦
♦

Step 1. 
Work your ass off.  Build your body up! GO GO GO. Harder harder harder.  Push the body past your limits... 
            (side effect→ broke down)

Step 2. 
Rest. 
Heal.
RECOVER.

Step 3.  Repeat. akhilandeshvari 

♦
♦
... you know what is not included in THIS chain of events? Injury.  I plan to keep it that way too.  Anyways: 

Fitness was lost.  
Weight was gained.  
My mental sanity was tested.
Body rejuvenated, rested, and ready.      BACK TO STEP 1! 

Few things I've been up to

T-3 Turkey 5K

Winter Sun 10K

Some good things to come in 2015!!

xoxox

Off Season and Fall Fun

Lets just start this post saying coming down from your peak... simply sucks. 

Post-race depression is for real. Teresa prescribed a schedule to kick off the 'OFF' season that left me with some major training withdrawals... antsy, annoyed, bored, cranky... IN A MAJOR FUNK.  

It took a lot of trust in her to listen.  I didn't like it one bit (Hello Christie Control Freak) 

but I got through the rest phase that in all reality, my body NEEDED. 

(Do yourself a favor and go read this post over and over for a reminder of the importance of rest) 

and now...we are back to base building for a whole new level of racing in 2014!

In the mean time... some off season Fall fun 



Supporting friends
St George Marathon

Absolutely fantastic day!! The St George Marathon snapped me right out of that funk and rejuvenated my spirit.  Rachelle and I had so much fun pacing people throughout the day.  Watching the leaders pass at mile 23 with such focus was crazy inspiring!  Walter, Janice, and Julia let me share in the last few miles of their races which was incredible. 

I ran (and screamed) the last 3 miles with Walter who finished with a 2:36... NBD, right?!  Janice was flying when I found her and finished so dang strong earning herself a nice PR.  And Julia PR'd and BQ'd. SO PROUD.


Park City 5K Pink Series

Laura was nice enough to let me spend the night with her before the race in Park City.  It is absolutely stunning up there this time of year! Fun race... but a whole lot of ‘girlieness!’  When they say PINK they are not kidding! :)  Got a fun prize for 2nd overall. 
 

2 products I am OBsessing over right now...  both from Zoot 

There are no words to describe how AWESOME these recovery tights are. Seriously. After you eventually get them squeezed on, the lower half of your body is in pure bliss. For a week  post Worlds/Big Cottonwood weekend, I may have only taken them off to shower :) Worth.Every.Cent.

Kiawe's - Mad crushing over these shoes lately.  I love my Brooks Pure Connects for road racing, but after Boise 70.3, I decided to look for an alternative triathlon specific racer because of all the blisters I was getting. Major score. 

 

Race Pacing - Moab Other Half

 
This past weekend I went with the American Flyers Race Pacers to help pace the Moab Other Half.  I had the biggest group I have ever had in a race stick with me.  It feels so great at the end of the race when you are able to help people achieve there goals.  Almost all of them came in under goal time too!

While we were down in Moab, had to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and did a short hike up to Delicate Arch before heading back home...