Well, the new year also means that there offseason is officially over. It is now time to get back into gear, and get back to serious training.

Personally, I always find the period from Thanksgiving through New Years to be the hardest time to keep a consistent routine. It is a time when food, particularly, junk food, is constantly in reach, and the time when I usually train is consumed by time with extended family and friends that I don’t get to see most of the year.

This year, I tried something different, and I think it worked fairly well.

Instead of trying to stay on a regimented plan, I simply set a base goal. Workout for at least 30 minutes 6 days a week. Workouts could be a run, a swim (not), core, or a bike ride. Included in the workout categories for the offseason were hikes, walking round of golf, and even casual jogs. Basically, anything that would elevate the heart rate.

The intent? minimize the fitness loss while allowing the unstructured weeks to flow around the light schedule. The result? I feel fresher than I have in months, and ready to jump back into the saddle, both figuratively and literally.