Off-Season Training, Nutritional Tips for the Holidays
We hope you’re enjoying the holiday season, however you like to celebrate (or not!), and getting out for some wintery outdoor fun. Start your New Year off with a local festive event:
12/31/25 & 1/1/26 First Run Eugene, OR
12/31/25 Light Up the Night Seattle, WA
1/1/26 Resolute RunnerArvada, CO
1/1/26 Hot Cocoa 5K/10K Oro Valley, AZ
1/3/26 New Year’s Duathlon and 5K Run/Walk Folsom Lake, CA
If this time of year brings some anxiety around (lack of) training or (un)healthy eating as an athlete, here’s some help adopting a realistic and thoughtful perspective. Remember it’s really only a few days out of the whole year, and “taking a couple of weeks off from training (particularly running, which is much harder on your body than swimming and cycling) is only going to make you healthier and help you get even fitter in the coming months.”
Off-Season Training: Maintaining Run Fitness into the New Year
Nutrition Tips for Athletes: The Holiday Edition (replay)
Do Trail Runners Really Need an Off-Season?
Cupids Chocolate Chase
February 7 — Eugene, OR / 5K, 10K
Join us for a sweet start to Valentine’s season at the inaugural Cupids Chocolate Chase Presented by Euphoria Chocolate Company! Each participant will be treated to a handcrafted Euphoria chocolate at the finish line. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Bags of Love, a local nonprofit supporting children in need.
Interesting Reads
While slimming down mileage this winter, it’s a great time to supplement usual activities with strength training, mobility work, or gentle yoga practices. That last one is my personal favorite, and during winter can be especially helpful to calm anxiety and regulate our overworked nervous system. Check out these notable online platforms for both experienced yogis and disbelievers alike. Both offer free trials to explore their libraries of targeted practices for athletes.
Athletes for Yoga Yoga Medicine
Need something else to do with your downtime this month? Start looking ahead to 2026 (and maybe even 2027) and get your priorities, goals, and calendar in order. Triathlon coach Alison Freeman outlines a thoughtful and detailed method for designing an annual plan, complete with worksheets for your type-A enjoyment. Our season goals don’t have to just be events: “For the purpose of season planning, consider how the areas of process, outcome, race day, social pull, location, and logistics factor into your enjoyment of the sport.” Training and periodizing for specific races is, of course, important, but are there other pieces of your sport you want to develop? Think about getting stronger, recovering better, engaging with the community more... having maximal fun! All of these considerations should be worked into the plan and reassessed throughout the year.
Etcetera
High Performance Cold Weather Foods For Winter Training
How to Radically Improve Your Run in the Off-Season
Training for Mountain Races in the City
