When I was a professional triathlete and my coach, Dr. Phil Maffetone (who by the way will be at our Vermont retreat next month, AND WE HAVE TWO SPOTS OPEN FOR THIS RETREAT!!!) used to have me rest and regenerate for at least a few weeks this time of year.  As you can imagine it drove me crazy. I was always reluctant to go easy and go back to base training at the height of the summer, but it actually gave me the energy that I needed to be able to Kick-Butt in my fall races. So…. why am I telling you this now? Well, it is hot out and big parts of the country are on fire. I am in Colorado where the smoke is so bad I cannot go out to play AND I have had to stay inside and rest!! REST is a 4 letter word to me, and I don’t like it, but it is the most important part of your training. With proper rest and recovery you can RESTORE and RECALIBRATE!!

So to avoid burn-out, be gentle with yourself when you feel like you are in a pressure cooker. Take it easy, drink your water, read a book and know that “All is Well and All will Always be Well”!!

Here is what you can do to beat the end of the Summer heat:

1)  Hydrate.. Drink lots and lots of water.. That does not mean lemonade, coffee, kombucha or tea.. Just drink plain water.

2)  Abhyanga massage.. I learned this early in my racing career. When it is hot and dry out, I do this self massage which calms the nervous system and keeps your skin moist.  https://www.halepule.com/blog/release-your-best-self-with-abhyanga

3)  Take a break from anaerobic, hard core work outs. Just go back to basics and PLAY.. have fun with all your workouts. Take off your watches and Garmins.

4)  Infuse your water with some hydrating herbs like Peppermint, mint, purslane, chamomile, fennel seeds, mallow or red clover.

5)  Sleep.. Rest.. Recover and Remember to say positive statements now when things (people, places and things) are burning down around you.. I say a mantra that Julian of Norwich said.. “All is Well,  and All will always be well”!