If you are like many people, you have probably been training with focus since the first of the year. That is over six months worth of logged swim, bike and run workouts. You may also have that dull feeling building inside that your motivation has lost its razors edge and that "holding on for just a few more weeks" is sounding more like a prison sentence than something you want to set your alarm clock for. If you are feeling 100% of that early season motivation and your body is still rock solid, then go train my friend! But if there is a wavering in the force, read on...

There are a few ways you can snap yourself back on track from just about any kind of mid-season lull. The tools you use will depend on the depth of your situation. Shallow tiredness, a small lack of training desire or a brief bout with an unseasonable cough or sniffle can be remedied pretty easily. Feeling like you want to trade your training schedule in for a lotto ticket to a cruise liner will require closer monitoring, but is still curable even if your biggest race of the year is yet to come.

    · One day complete rest, no training

    · One day with an easy swim (no more than about 750-1000 yards or meters in the pool),
      bike (30-45 minutes spinning) and run (18-20 minutes)

    · One more day complete rest, no training

    · On the fourth day, see if you are ready for your scheduled training once again.

If this doesn't do the trick, the next week take two days of complete rest, then on the third day do the easy swim, bike and run that are again followed by one more rest day. Then later in the week if you have your endurance workouts in any of the three sports, cut each one's time or distance in half. The following week chances are that you will be more than ready to go full speed ahead once again.

As you can see this is potentially a two-week correction that will enable you to nip a mid-season drift into potentially becoming over-trained in the bud. This is a tool you can use if you are still in training mode for a big race that is going to come in the next 3-6 weeks.

    · Take one to two weeks with ONLY two workouts per week in each sport that are like the short ones
     listed above. If you are not in the mood to do any of those, then go for a walk a couple of days
     (walking promotes recovery and soothes the nervous system like no other sport), hike a trail, 
     mountain bike easy, or do just about any other sport that is not triathlon specific during these two
     weeks. 

    · Early in week three of your recovery it will be time to test the body. Do a run that represents a
     medium length run for you. If you feel spunky and have your normal spring back in your stride, then
     by the end of the week resume with a long workout that would be half of what a normal week's long
     workout would be in each sport. If you are still feeling tired cut out any long workouts and draw the
     easy recovery training through the end of week three. Then do the run test again the following week
     followed by cutting the length in any long workouts in half.

This correction is longer than the first, but it is also one that will work for just about any level of burnout a person might experience mid-season. As you can see it will last 2-4 weeks depending on your body and mind's needs.

A few more tips are that regardless of whether you are doing the short recovery or the longer rest is of utmost importance to add in extra sleep. Also, cut back on your training GUILT-FREE! If your body needs rest, it needs rest. Gain confidence knowing that you are taking steps to correct and rebalance your energy and motivation. Again, skip workouts guilt-free and remind yourself that this is shock therapy for your recovery, a potent and quick way to gain the upper edge in a dulled situation.

Best of luck. See you at the races.

Mark Allen