Host Brad Kearns talks about the importance of taking a break in the middle of a busy competitive season in order to refresh and restore for a strong finish. The cumulative stress of pre-season base building and then the introduction of intensity and the race calendar can have you feeling fit and energetic, but perhaps unknowingly in need of a break. Despite fears commonly harbored by endurance athletes, you will not lose your hard-earned conditioning if you chill a bit in mid-summer. De-training requires a sustained period of complete lack of exercise (e.g., illness, injury). If you take a week or two to unplug mentally and physically from the training grind, minimize your exercise and instead just sustain everyday movement, you will gain restoration and renewed motivation.  What is it that happens mid-season that causes a problem?  [00:01:36]  What is an example of the advantage of taking a break mid season? [00:08:01]  What???? Take a break right in the middle of the racing season???? [00:10:36]  What about the high intensity training?  What does it mean base first? [00:12:54]  How does one escape that destructive pattern? Is there a schedule that should be followed? [00:15:19]  Mark Allen