How Ironman Triathlete Darren Tackles Off-Season

Nuzest ambassador Darren lets us into his off-season secrets on how he maintains his health, fitness and nutrition going into the new year.

"What is off-season?" Every year I find myself asking myself this very question. As my triathlon calendar comes to a close, the winter months start to roll in, the morale and motivation begin to fade, the weather changes, the days get shorter, the nights get longer. I always ask myself how can I stay motivated to train so that when the new season does start, I’m ready!

In all honesty, I don’t know the answer. I feel off-season is very much subjectable to the individual. Some manage to push through, maintaining consistency in their specific sport; I am of the opposite and enjoy a different approach. That’s not to say I’m still not motivated on my chosen sport of triathlon as I have the Ironman World Championships in Kona in October 2022. I feel it’s better to have a break from some things that swallow up a good portion of your life. It’s mentally challenging to do the same things day in day out for 365 days a year, so I find the shift in focus a mental release. It gives me a chance to unwind from the mental abyss of triathlon, slow down, enjoy life a bit more and spend a bit more time with my family.

In the off-season, I still maintain my swim, bike run, albeit not at the same level of consistency, and I thoroughly enjoy hiking in the mountains of Wales and trail running. But my favourite thing to do in the off-season is weight training. I’m an advocate of ‘Lifting is the key to longevity’. I feel it’s so important, especially as we get older and usual hormone production slows down, specifically, testosterone in men. To have relative strength is essential in life. We require it to do the most basic of things - walk, get up off the toilet, walk up and down the stairs, carry shopping bags, and if we are unable to do these things when we are older, we will eventually lead poor lives. When training for endurance sports, such as Ironman triathlons, it’s common to see muscle wastage through excessive cardiovascular activity. So to try and combat this as much as possible, I lift weights - this keeps me strong. Lifting weights also prevents injury. It supports my musculoskeletal system, and it always gives me a boost of endorphins. I like to think that being strong is the one important thing I’ll be able to carry through to later on in life.
Lifting weights, taking part in triathlons (or any sport in general) or coincidentally just leading a healthy lifestyle, nutrition is ultimately as important. And this is where Nuzest comes into play.

Supplementing my day to day life with Clean Lean Protein and Good Green Vitality has taken my training and overall wellbeing to another level. I’m a very active middle-aged man and a firefighter, but I’m also a dad to some very active children. Running around after them is no mean feat - it’s busy! Couple this with work and training, usually you’d have a concoction for fatigue. But Good Green Vitality gives me so much energy, and I seldom get tired. Regular protein shakes after training allow me to recover so I can train again, either later on in the evening or early next morning. They have become invaluable to how I operate as an individual. I also supplement with Vitamin C and Vitamin D through the winter months as I find these two supplements help protect myself against illness.

As I look forward to the new year, racing numerous Ironman events and smashing new goals, I can only sing praise to the supplements I’m taking. They give me everything I need and more in the form of nutrition. I feel fit, strong and healthy, and that’s all I can ask for!