by GRP Run athlete Andrew Tario

The downtime in between major competitions can provide a great opportunity to give your body a chance to rest, as well as giving your mind a chance to reset after a mentally taxing race season. However, you don’t have to lay on the couch all day to rest (but if you choose to, that’s totally okay too!). Mixing up your activities and challenging yourself with new or unfamiliar ways of exercising can give your mind a great way to shift focus as well as provide your body with some new tools to use when the next major competition period rolls around. Here are my favorite ways to add variety to exercise in between training periods.

Hiking

Living in Colorado, I feel fortunate to have some incredible hiking just a short drive away. During competition, I often feel guilty that I am not enjoying the beautiful mountains as much as I could be, since I am so focused on road running and marathon training that taxing mountain hikes take a backseat for much of the year. This means that when I do have downtime in between competition periods, I try to hike as much as I can. It’s a great way for my mind to unwind and let me fully enjoy the scenery without focusing on pace, effort, or anything other than getting up and down the trail. It’s also a great opportunity to bond with my dog, who can’t quite hang on my long marathon training runs but is an excellent hiking companion.

Cycling

I am an extremely amateur cyclist, but I still enjoy getting out on my bike to ride around the city, taking advantage of Denver’s fantastic bike paths. I really enjoy how much quicker you can go on a bike, and the ability to go much further on an average bike ride compared to an average run means I get the opportunity to take in much more scenery along the way. Cycling also provides great aerobic benefits which can help bridge the gap in between competition periods and make the return to running feel a little bit easier.

Home Improvement Projects

This one is a little unorthodox, but the time in between competitions provides a great opportunity to get those nagging home improvement projects out of the way! When I’m in full marathon training, I’m often too tired to tackle more than just basic upkeep and maintenance on my house, but when mileage takes a backseat for those few precious weeks of the year, I try to capitalize on the increased energy and tackle some more involved home improvement projects. This summer, I installed a small rock garden in the yard, laid new flooring in our office area, installed new baseboard molding, and did some much-needed painting and drywall repair. I was using my arms a lot more than when I was just running, and I really felt the strength gains from working these different muscle groups! These projects are also a great mental shift and allow me to work on problem-solving and learning new skills.

So, the next time you find yourself with some downtime in between competitions, try your hand at some new forms of exercise, and relish the opportunity to relax and refocus in advance of the next training period!