My 3 week end-of- season break has now ended and running has resumed. Feels great to be back running again.

I have been asked why I take a break at the end of each season like this?

I think I first got the idea from reading about the Kenyan runners taking an often lengthy time off serious training, at the end  of their season.  They go and visit family and relatives, have a complete break from training and then come back to it all refreshed – the mind and body having had a chance to fully recover.

I don’t have a total break from training, as I do plenty of walking, stretching and very light weights, but I do no running for 3 weeks.

I break all my habits, change routines etc during that 3 week period.  I don’t really ‘like’ doing this as I enjoy my lifestyle and training programme but I do think it’s a good idea to have a complete change for just 3 weeks once a year – even if it just makes you appreciate what you normally do.

As I have a bit more free time, during that 3 week period, I use that to review the season just gone, plan races and training  for the next season and generally catch up on anything and everything before knuckling down again.

Enjoy your break when it comes and great running in 2011.