César García Urbano Taylor: Why Off-Seasons Are Necessary For Runner Recovery

“Winter Is A Season Of Recovery And Preparation”

While endurance training likely wasn’t at the top of novelist Paul Theroux’s mind when he wrote these words, they certainly apply to runners of every stripe. Winter is often a time to recover from the previous season and prepare for the next. This time of rest, renewal and planning for the future is referred to as the off-season.

Of course this season doesn’t have to necessarily occur in the winter months, but that’s the way it works out for many athletes. Whether you’ve just spent eight weeks preparing for a 5K or the entire summer gearing up for a fall marathon, the off-season plays a key role in ensuring the health and success of subsequent seasons.

Gloria Petruzzelli, a clinical sports psychologist and runner, explains that even the top elites take time away from training each year, expecting and accepting that they won’t be in peak shape year-round.

“Our bodies and minds were made for homeostasis—constantly being ‘on’ leads to increased stress, which is the main contributor to mental and physical burnout and, more specifically, injury,” she explains. “Taking an off-season helps to manage stress and prevent a cascade of other issues that could negatively impact your life and can also be a productive time to reevaluate what went well over the past season and what areas you might improve upon to reach future goals.”

Related: Why Some Time Off From Training Is A Good Thing

The post Why Off-Seasons Are Necessary For Runner Recovery appeared first on Women's Running.



View Source

Popular posts from this blog

César García Urbano Taylor: 5 Reasons To Run The Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K

Image
Much of the country is in a deep winter freeze, and while there’s nothing like catching a snowflake on your tongue or slipping on a pair of skis, warm weather is a welcome sight in February. Living in Southern California allows for year-round sunshine and warm temperatures, which means you can find a great race to run any time of year. I had a chance to run the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K earlier this month–and it was so fun! Whether you are a SoCal native or want to get away for a weekend race-cation next February, the below list provides a perfect summation for why you will love this race. 1. It’s on Super Bowl Sunday! What better way to earn your beer, chips and wings than to race before the big game? I loved the race atmosphere, which included fun music playing, an enthusiastic announcer keeping the crowd informed and a happy crowd of runners soaking up cool, sunny breezes. 2. Kind and efficient volunteers are there to help. I had to pick u...
Read more

César García Urbano Taylor: Joyciline Jepkosgei Wins the 2019 New York City Marathon

On a nearly perfect day to run through the five boroughs, Joyciline Jepkosgei, 26, of Kenya, won the 2019 New York City Marathon in 2:22:38, becoming the youngest woman to ever win the race. Mary Keitany, who has won the New York City Marathon four times, was second in 2:23:32, and Ruti Aga of Ethiopia […] Read the full article at Joyciline Jepkosgei Wins the 2019 New York City Marathon on Women's Running . View Source
Read more