Games Interrupted

Tuesday’s news that the International Olympic Committee was postponing the 2020 Games brought some measure of relief to athletes wondering when and if the Olympics would be held. Now comes the hard part. Moving the Games will force many Olympic hopefuls to re-evaluate their decisions, especially those eying retirement after Tokyo. And while it will open the door to athletes who didn’t reach their peak this time around, it may also close the door to those not motivated for a five-year quadrennial. With a summer season of any sort looking increasingly unlikely at all levels, it’s time to shift our focus to a possible return to racing in the fall, with the hope that things return to normal next year. Training-wise, that means resetting your periodized training plan and starting off with a general preparation period. This phase entails long training pieces, with loads of cross-training, worked into the program. You can then use the fall season for a more specific preparatory period with a high volume of rowing and long-distance races thrown in to keep things fun. After an interim preparatory phase of strength and general endurance training in the early winter months, you can begin peaking for an exciting summer in 2021. First and foremost, however, it is important to stay healthy and support your family, friends, and community. We are in this together and we will get through it together, too.