KOPCHA EPIC COACHING

This time of year is a busy one. Training, celebrating, planning, reflecting. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, unmotivated, or just a little crazed.

So today I am bringing you some December Rules to get you through your post season, preseason, and holiday season. Borrowed from Coach Mike and Coach Robbie over at C26. If you haven’t listed to their podcast, Crushing Iron, I highly recommend it. This was from their episode 533 on November 25, 2021.

1. Naps are good. Naps without guilt are even better. Rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit. Unplug. Relax. Calm your mind.
2. If you want to do your planned training session, do it. But if sleeping in and having and extra cup of coffee in the morning sounds like a better idea, then do that. Unstructured structure during this time of year is needed physically, mentally, and emotionally. Head into the new year fresh.
3. Walks and hikes are great. If you have a dog, take it out for hours on end. Get outside and do something. Enjoy nature with friends and family.
4. Take at least 6 days off during December from swim, bike, run. Do something else.
5. Go out for coffee, tea, or a beer with someone you haven’t talked to in forever. Connect with at least one person you haven’t seen in a while and miss.
6. Read 1 book. Detach from technology, overthinking, and obsessing.
7. If one of your crazy, stupid friends comes up with some ridiculous idea like running 4 miles every 4 hours for 24 hours, and you want to do it….do it! Just don’t be the originator of these awesome, very bad ideas. You are probably far enough away from your next main event and fresh enough from your season that you will be fine.
8. Think about what you want from next year as an athlete and a person. Don’t wait until January. Make lists. Do some real introspection. What do you want and how do you want this next year to be? Races training, and destinations should compliment what you want to do and achieve. Make a list of things that are actionable. Things that are based off of effort and execution, not results.
9. If you want to swim extra during the week, you can swim up to 5 days a week. As short as 800 meters or as long as 2500 meters. Swim as much as you want.
10. You can add extra rides each week. But, they must be in Zone 1 or Zone 2. No going and crushing Zwift races. Maximum of 5 total rides a week, and no more than 90 minutes in length.
11. You can do extra runs, but only in a 1:1 ratio with extra swims. Wanna do an extra run? Then you have to do an extra swim first.
12. Do whatever you need to do in order to have your best season ever. Reenergize. Recharge. Reinvigorate. Get your ducks in a row. Clean out the cobwebs. Be excited. Feel committed. Understand your path. Be comfortable with your purpose. What do you want to achieve?

Wishing you peace and joy, health and happiness, and a new year filled with amazing opportunities.