I recently completed two significant physical feats: a 35 K trail race with 3,500 feet of elevation gain and summiting five 14ers in just three days. Both were gritty, satisfying reminders of what my body can do when I’m focused, trained, and inspired. However, now it is my off-season.
What now for off-season fitness
Now, I find myself in a quiet space. No race circled on the calendar. Camping trips that revolve around bagging Summits are done. No pressing need to squeeze in workouts between parenting and scheduled long runs. My Strava is still alive — just not with my data. However, I see friends logging massive efforts: 20-mile training runs, hundred-mile bike rides, backpacking trips with toddlers on their backs. I’m surrounded by people doing badass things. And I’m over here… floating and walking the dog.
I’m not feeling driven toward my next big fitness goal. But I’m also not burned out. I’m moving — running, lifting, walking, yoga-ing — because it feels good. Because it’s my mental anchor – my sanity. But honestly, I think that’s enough right now.
Still, when you’re in that uninspired place, it’s easy to start spiraling. To feel like you should be doing more. To scroll social media and wonder if you’re slacking or missing out. If you’re in that space too — where nothing is calling to you and your routine feels blah — here’s what I’ve found helpful:
Reconnect with your “why”
Not every season of movement needs to be performance-based. Try shifting your mindset from “I need to train” to “How do I want to feel today?” Maybe you move to shake off anxiety. To sleep better. To feel strong while lifting groceries or chasing your kid around the house. Those reasons are enough — and they often unlock a deeper motivation than chasing a pace or finish line.
Try something completely different
If your usual go-tos aren’t lighting you up, permit yourself to try something unexpected. That might mean a dance class, roller skating, hiking a flat trail instead of a summit, or picking up a sport you haven’t played since Elementary school. Sometimes inspiration returns when we stop forcing it and give ourselves space to play.
This is the season I’m in. A season of slowness. A pause between chapters. Because while my athletic calendar is blank, my life calendar is about to explode. In just a few weeks, I’ll be stepping back into the classroom and starting the journey toward my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
It’s a huge transition — one I’ve been dreaming about and working toward for a long time. And yet, the unknowns of this next chapter are… a lot. What will my schedule look like? Will I still have time for long runs or weekend hikes? Will my body feel strong when my brain is overloaded? I don’t know. But I’m not trying to solve that just yet.
No Off-season Goals, No Problem
Right now, I’m practicing something that doesn’t come easily to me: not striving. Not competing. Not proving. Just showing up, moving for the joy of it, and allowing myself to exist in this in-between space.
It’s strange, not chasing a goal. But it’s also kind of beautiful. Finding peace in unstructured movement is the new normal. I’m listening more closely to what my body wants on any given day. I’m not skipping a workout — I’m just redefining what “working out” means.
This doesn’t mean I won’t sign up for another race. I probably will. But for now, I’m leaning into the art of slowness. The art of being a person who moves not to prepare for something, but just to be in motion. To stay grounded. To breathe deeper.
If you’re also in a season of transition (off-season), or rest, or floating… you’re not falling behind. You’re just living. And there’s strength in that, too.
Are you in a similar season? I’d love to hear how you’re moving through it