Off-season

Yet another season is done, and it would deserve a post of its own, but let me first write about off-season. The short period of vacation for athletes. As we don’t have the luxury of Christmas holidays, Summer holidays and most of the time there’s even no difference between weekdays and weekends, off-season is something of a grand vacation of the year. So what do I do on my off-season?

First of all, I rest. I take a well deserved break from track and I make sure I won’t go anywhere near a stadium or a track for a couple of weeks. Rest is crucial for the body but also extremely important for the mind. A couple of weeks is usually enough for me to want to get back to some kind of exercising, so that’s when I usually head to the nature trails. Basically anything goes, but track. Some athletes are very eager to start training for the next season early or just like to stick to a training routine, but I think it is smart and healthy to give the body a period of full rest once a year.

Secondly, I catch up with my social life and try to meet up with friends and family. Since I’m abroad most of the year, during off-season I enjoy spending quality time with my close ones. This is the only time of the year I don’t have a strict schedule and I can say YES to things!

Thirdly, I eat! I eat anything and everything I feel like. During off-season I eat out more than usually and I enjoy having foods that I usually wouldn’t eat. Eating treats during training phase is not forbidden but it’s usually the mental side that makes you not want to eat unhealthy when you are on a regimen. So on my off-season I enjoy the freedom of eating whatever and not feeling bad about it.

Lastly, it’s the time to travel. I try to fit in some non-sport-related-trips. Yes, I get to travel a lot because of my sport, but it’s not the same thing. My sport takes me to airports and tracks. Thus, traveling without ten pairs of shoes and all those sport clothes is a luxury of off-season.

Actually, that’s not all I do on my off-season. I also meet up with my supporters and work on our common projects. This is the time of the year when scheduling things and events is the easiest. Thus, when track life is passive, sponsor events and co-operation is active.

This off-season has been very special also because of the fact that I got married! Getting to share your life with someone who understands you, supports you in tailwind and head wind and makes you smile is pretty magical. It may sound like a cliché but we had a perfect day with our closest friends and family and I feel so grateful to have such lovely people in my life!

I’m very content with my off-season so far and I’m ready to start training again!