Maintenance Training (Having a Plan)

Ok, this is important. If you are going to Europe this year, or firing up for some other goal be it the National Secondary School Champs or World Masters Champs have a plan for after...and I don't mean the after party, I mean have a plan for when the event is done dusted, you and your mates have gone home and the post event lurgy sets in.

You need to rest but every year I see people loosing much of the fitness, and motivation, that they had due to prolonged spells of non training after goal events. A long term goal worth achieving, for you as an individual athlete making the most of your potential, is 3-5 seasons into the future.

In my opinion, a break should be more mental than physical...substitute the running miles for cycling or team sports, keep the short runs going, even if its only 20 minutes fartlek, and try something different. For example at the moment I am doing more rock climbing...great for core strength, for socialising and seeing some beautiful places and sun (if you do it outside).

I am interested in what other people have found works for them (feed those comments through!)but below is a rough program, to start one week after your goal event. And whatever you do just make sure you have a plan for afterwards!

Mon: bike 1 hour, recovery
Tues: 20 min fartlek/speed play, with focus on balance/jumping etc
Weds: team sport/something different, bike polo?
Thurs: bike 2 hours, preferably with others make it fun.
Fri: 20 min fartlek/spped play
Sat: walk/bike/run a long session, go explore somewhere new at a low intensity
Sun: Club orienteering, geez its been a while since I've done much of that!