Holiday Cheer

With the holiday season upon us many athletes will struggle with a very real dilemma. "Will I go out on a swim, bike, run today or should I stay in and enjoy the festivities?" This question comes up all the time, whether it is due to the holidays or a loved one's birthday or any other special occasion. My answer to anyone that ask this is, "Take the day off, you have worked extremely hard up to this point and it is better to be 10% under-trained than 1% over-trained."

This is a very big issue that we see throughout coaching, athletes are always wanting to do everything correctly. Though some of these athletes are the same people who get burnt out of the sport that they are in very quickly. We have to remember that we are not machines, we are still humans. Some of us seem super human, but we still need down time. Recovery is a huge part of training, we always focus on the breaking down of our bodies but most overlook the recovery aspect.

That being said I will be taking the holiday season in full stride. I am sure I will get a run or a ride in between here and there, but these are fun days. No structure involved just going out and enjoying the weather. I encourage everyone to have a safe and happy holiday and be relax as much as you can. We all have goals for 2019 set and we know it will be a long journey to reach these goals, but now is the time to enjoy the company of your family and friends.

P.S.: If anyone is interested in the Rapha Festive 500, I highly recommend attempting this fun event. If you are unaware of what this is, it is the annual end of year event that Rapha has done for some time. The idea is that between Christmas and New Year's day you ride 500km total. I will be attempting it this year after we return from Louisiana and hope to accomplish it this year. Last year I tried, and my battery on my Di2 died completely. So no luck, but this year will be better.

Happy Holidays everyone and don't forget to Finish Strong!