Time to relax.It's the end of the racing season and the end of the year. Winter has begun. This is the perfect time for some serious aerobic base-building. Lots of easy runs to build your aerobic system. Avoid racing, stay away from intense intervals, toss aside tempo runs, and just run easy. If you have a heart rate monitor, keep that heart rate low. For me, I've shifted to Maffetone style running (top heart rate = 180-age with minor adjustments based on health and injury history). Or you can follow Joe Friel and run below 89% of your lactate threshold. Matt Fitzgerald has similar tests to determine lactate threshold. The whole principle is simple--run easy, recover quickly, build your aerobic foundation. Low stress. Build up, don't break down. While this is a simple and time-tested technique to become a better runner, it is still serious work. It's not easy staying in the easy (low heart rate) zone. We too often push just a bit too hard and end up in a transitional, grey zone that is not easy, but not hard either. This zone serves little purpose--and it does not promote the aerobic endurance that is so important for runners. It helps to set an alarm when your heart rate exceeds your intended limit. After a few days of very easy running, you'll sense when you are approaching that HR limit.
So, adjust your winter training and run easy for a few weeks. Really easy. I'm aiming for about 6-8 weeks of pure aerobic running. Nothing fast. I just finished 7 straight days of Maffetone running and feel refreshed. My body, and mind, need the time away from racing and speed sessions. There is plenty of time to add speed work and sharpen up for those spring races. Do yourself a favor...go easy. Relax.
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