We are arriving at the time for the offseason. It is a time for transition, a time to alter or reduce the training load, but most importantly, it is the time to review our season. We want to consider whether or not we achieved our past season´s goals such as event times, qualifications, completion of workouts, and nutrition. We should also consider how we overcame technical issues, injuries/illness, and other unexpected situations.
It is then beneficial to prepare a checklist of all our season goals and add two columns - completed or un-completed - and reflect honestly in each column the circumstance in which each was met or unmet. We should factor in all the situations that had an influence on our life, training, and competition during the season.
Doing this provides a wide view of our seasons strengths and weakness.
The completion column will be the strengths we had during season and the un-completed column will represent the season´s weaknesses. One should not underestimate the weaknesses.
If your strengths are greater than your weakness, congratulations! But if your weakness were greater than the strengths, don't worry, you already have identified your next season goals.
You must be honest, are these new goals reachable?
Are they at your actual level of expertise?
Will they interfere with your family/social, work or personal environment?
Could they have the potential to produce an injury or overtraining?
The next step is to spend some time to answer the last questions, it is useful to talk with and consider your family, employer, and friends about the impact your goals could have on you and on them. It will allow you to have a better perspective of the impact of your goals on your broader life.
Finally, it is the time to talk your certified coach and chat about your next season goals. He/she will help you to establish the way to achieve your 2020 goals in an efficient and safety manner.
You will work to keep and if possible, to increase your strengths and focus the coming season on overcoming your weaknesses.
Remember, balance is the key for life and for training.