It’s tough at this point of the year to be motivated.

My race season was really long in 2014 — starting on a formal training program in early March and continuing on some kind of training program until the beginning of December.

But I am glad to be doing some weightlifting and shorter, harder workouts rather than longer, less-intense workouts.

There is no certain set of workouts to complete; and I don’t have to swim, bike and run two or three times each per week. I relax on my training and try to do the workouts that I find the most fun, like trail running or swimming.

This time of year, it’s easy to get lost in doing fun things with my family like watching movies, cooking or playing a fun game of kickball. Just last week, I spent four hours putting together a Ninja Turtle Lego set instead of heading out for my run.

It’s so enjoyable to be able to be with them and not be stressing about getting up at 5 a.m. and walking out the door by 6 a.m. to get a four-hour bike ride in.

My husband gets to go work out when he wants to, and it’s nice for me to be able to tell him to go have a nice time and not, “You need to be back by 7 a.m. so I can go for my long ride.”

The toughest part of this less structured time, however, is to eat healthy through this holiday season.

There are so many delicious ways to spend calories, and it’s easy to say, well, I ran 5 miles this morning so I can eat that second, third or fourth cookie!

I usually give myself the week of Christmas and New Year’s to relax on my eating somewhat before I start back to trying to eat healthy with the beginning of the new year.

By the end of those two weeks, my body starts to rebel against me, and I feel rotten. I think it’s my body’s way of telling me to get back to it.

I am a much happier, less-stressed wife and mother when I am keeping my body in shape.

Exercise is so helpful to me in those ways, even though it pulls some time away from my family. I’m going to enjoy this short

offseason by doing short workouts, eating, spending time with my family,

and sleeping!

Then I’ll be starting to beef up my endurance base before starting on my formal training program in March for Ironman Louisville.