Focus on Being Consistently Good this Winter, Rather Than Occasionally Great

This is mostly just a reminder for myself, but maybe it will resonate with some of you who also struggle to find the right balance of rest and intensity during the winter.

The cold and snowy months are a great time to build a foundation of strength and endurance that will set you up for success when outdoor training and racing returns. 

That being said, you don’t need to destroy yourself every workout or freak out if a snowstorm or family gathering disrupts your scheduled workout. On the flip side, you probably don’t want to take your foot off the gas completely and coast just because your next race or event is still several months away.

I know nothing about baseball, but here’s an analogy: You don’t need to swing big and hit it out of the park every time you step to the plate. Just try to hit singles and doubles over and over again, and be someone who can get on base consistently.

If *all* you did for the next 3 months was … 

-Strength and conditioning work 2 x a week

-3-5 days of endurance training (mostly easy with some intensity sprinkled in)

-Kept up with your mobility and prehab work

-Got 7+ hours of sleep most nights

-Stayed on track with your food and nutrition most days 

You’d probably be in a pretty good place by the time the spring and early season races and events came around. 

I say *all* because I think most of us (myself included) would struggle to actually stick to those standards and put in the work, week in and week out, for months on end. It’s far too easy to get pulled off track, to become complacent or lazy, or get injured or burnt out because you did too much. 

In my opinion, someone who can reliably and consistently deliver “good enough” over the long haul is actually exceptional.