Off-season conditioning/staying in shape

[Yogi]

Question for all of you!

I've been doing really well since about last November with my training cycles. I don't run events but I do follow training programs. So I started last November with a 12-week HM program. Took two weeks off and started an 8-week 10k program. (Two weeks was too long so now I just take one week off). I repeated the 10k program, week off, then an 8-week 5k program with the goal of getting fast. That kind of backfired due to some hot weather (which has since abated).

SO. Here we are now. Instead of taking a week off and starting another program, I was going to take into account some trips I have coming up and delay 'official' training until I'm going to be home for the full 8-week stretch. And in the mean time I was just going to kind of run for fun - 4-6 miles every other day, some hiking, maybe some biking, some yoga.

And then pick up with my next training cycle in about a month.

Does this sound about average for what people do in  between official training cycles? What do you guys do? I genuinely enjoy running so I'm not going to take time off, but I would just run for the joy of it and not do speedwork, mileage tracking, etc. So I'm not worried about losing endurance. But I am a little worried about losing focus. But in between training cycles you're not really supposed to be meeting and exceeding goals, right? Just kind of staying loose.

Thoughts?

[Richard21142]

But in between training cycles you're not really supposed to be meeting and exceeding goals, right? Just kind of staying loose.

I guess everything depends on the goals.  If I'm starting an endurance cycle, and exceed my goals half way through the cycle, I simply change the goal.  But, then I'm training to compete.

What you are planning on doing sounds fine. 

[Yogi]

I guess everything depends on the goals.  If I'm starting an endurance cycle, and exceed my goals half way through the cycle, I simply change the goal.  But, then I'm training to compete.

What you are planning on doing sounds fine. 

Thanks Richard. I have been lucky so far with avoiding injury and burnout. I'm just never sure what to do in between training cycles. Do I always have to be 'training' or can I just have some unstructured time, etc? I appreciate your response.

[Arrojo]

Thanks Richard. I have been lucky so far with avoiding injury and burnout. I'm just never sure what to do in between training cycles. Do I always have to be 'training' or can I just have some unstructured time, etc? I appreciate your response.

To maintain a minimum amount of aerobic fitness, you need to run at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  Your plan is more than that, you are fine.  You might want to add some sort of core work on your non-running days - like crunches, yoga, pushups, etc.

[Yogi]

To maintain a minimum amount of aerobic fitness, you need to run at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  Your plan is more than that, you are fine.  You might want to add some sort of core work on your non-running days - like crunches, yoga, pushups, etc.

Good point about the core work. I will definitely incorporate that.

[Yogi]

I call that my "Minimum Daily Endorphin Requirement"

That's not enough for me either!