All I needed was a perfectly-timed down week

I think one of the hardest weeks of the year for me is the transitional one between seasons. Conventional wisdom says you ought to take a week (or more) of complete rest to let your body reset before embarking on another big training cycle.

Throughout high school and college, I was a good soldier of this plan. After regionals, I spent seven days where my only activity was walking from the dorm to the dining hall or practice room. My main engagement with running was watching all the people better than me compete at nationals. I did have to lift my trumpet to my face…which probably burned 7 calories an hour. Sometimes I used this week to start a lifting regimen, but I always gave myself at least 3-4 days of total nothingness.

When I graduated and entered the mysterious landscape of adult athletics — a wild west of road races and Turkey trots — precisely nailing down this extended break became more difficult. For one thing, my morning runs were absolutely essential to staying sane (and feeling good about myself) the rest of the day…days often consisting of third-graders telling me that my music lessons weren’t exciting enough for them.

Even after my road marathon — the only real major race I ever trained for during my peak post-collegiate running era (what a disappointment….I hope to rekindle this dream at 40, when I’m also publishing my Ivan Babikov book, living in small cabin with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Leadville from the top of 7th street and hosting a Joe Rogan-style Nordic ski podcast, broadcasted to millions….dang, what a rabbit trail) — I took, like, two days off and then put together a 50 mile week. A month later I’d upped it to 100 and raced in a half-marathon, thinking I’d do CIM….

Anyway, I digress.

This fall was wonderfully warm, and it led to lots of running and biking. On Sunday, I had a really enjoyable capstone run up Pikes Peak, which only ended on account of an incoming blizzard.

That snow hasn’t really stopped and it’s … (check’s date on computer)….Saturday. Which is perfect. I decided on Tuesday to make this my ‘recharge’ week – at least from running. I’ve gone out for gentle skis – albeit twice a day for the first three days of the week – have eaten tons of food and have sat by the fire to read books to Ella instead of grinding away on a 10-mile headlamp-lit run.

It’s been great!

Today, I feel energized by the thought of snow and excited about the ski season. I would give anything to just drive the Avalanche straight to Lily Lake and put in a 30 hour week. I’ve capitalized on my wife’s suggestion that “maybe this is the year we should go to Norway,” and poured over Google flights to see if I can book something for the Birken (I found something for $467 from Denver to Oslo!). I’ve even been searching Ebay for ‘retro Russian national team ski jackets.’ Maybe that was too far for some of you, but the point is, the real point of a week off is to actually recharge.

I’ve learned in my various athletic stages that sometimes, this ‘down week’ is more for physical rest. Other times, it’s purely mental. My body feels fine, I think, because I’ve been healthy and have given it adequate rest throughout the fall. But my main fuel isn’t predicated on super-compensation or any other laws of physiology or even a carbohydrate-dense calorie balance.

I’ve realized that I run on dreams.

When I’m excited about a vision, I get excited to put on my jacket — even if it’s not Bolshunov’s old one —and head into the cold woods to double pole my way through the dark.

Here’s to the 2024-2025 season…whenever you decide to start it.

Keep on striving. Keep on skiing.