The run-up to the Christmas period is busy. Routines change, social commitments increase, and training is often the first thing to slip. Many athletes describe feeling tired, but in reality most of this fatigue isn’t physical.
By: Caroline Livesey, Sports and Life Coach.
Social and Mental Fatigue
Long days, disrupted sleep, constant stimulation, and decision overload can drain energy far more than training does. The right kind of training at this time of year can actually restore focus, lift mood, and help you feel more present with family and friends.
This is not the time for long, draining workouts. The goal is to stimulate and release stress, not exhaust. So ditch your ideas to get long, cold, wet rides and runs in, and plan in some short high quality indoor sessions. These have a number of benefits:
- Maintain fitness with minimal time investment
- Boost energy and mental clarity
- Reduce stress rather than add to it
Indoor training platforms like Zwift remove the usual barriers like weather, daylight, travel time and make it easy to train efficiently and return to your day feeling better, not depleted. But if you are not a cyclist then you can also apply this to bodyweight HIT training in your garage, or short running or swimming intervals. Outdoor (daylight hours) time is also very beneficial for your mental health this time of year, so if you can fit in short walks or do your running sessions outdoors in daylight hours then all the better.
Be Present
Training makes you more present, not less
A focused 30–40 minute session on the turbo/trainer (or road/treadmill) often leaves athletes calmer, more patient and better able to switch off afterwards.
Rather than competing for time with your family, training can improve how you are during it. It also sets a positive example for those around you, especially for children. You show that staying active can be part of everyday life, even during busy periods.
Why intensity beats volume in December
At this time of year, short, harder efforts are often more effective than longer endurance runs / rides.
VO₂-type sessions:
- Deliver a strong training stimulus
- Take less time
- Help maintain fitness and energy levels without exhausting or negatively impacting your immune system
They also reduce the risk of starting January feeling flat or unmotivated.
Festive Sessions
If you need some ideas, here are some classic Zwift/Turbo sessions you can lean on this Christmas. While these are written for the bike – they also cross over for running. Just stick to the same RPE and away you go. With Xhale now fully integrated with Zwift the data transfer could not be easier.
VO₂ Express (30–35 mins)
High impact, minimal time
- 8 min progressive warm-up
- 5 × 2 min @ VO₂ max (RPE 8–9 / ~110–120% FTP)
- 2 min easy spin between efforts
- 5 min cool-down
Why it works: Short, sharp efforts that wake up the system and boost energy without lingering fatigue.
Festive Over-Unders (35–40 mins)
Hard but controlled
- 10 min warm-up
- 4 × 5 min blocks:
- 1 min hard (VO₂ / just above threshold) / RPE 8
- 2 min steady (sweet spot) / RPE 7
- 2 min easy spin
- 5 min cool-down
Why it works: Trains tolerance to harder efforts while staying mentally engaging
Zwift Power Punch (30–40 mins)
Perfect for busy days
- 10 min warm-up
- 3 sets of:
- 4 × 30 sec hard (VO₂ / RPE 9) / 30 secs easy
- 3 min easy between sets
- 5 min cool-down
Why it works: Very time-efficient (can be lengthened or reduced as needed), great for stress relief and maintaining top-end fitness.
Keep December simple
This isn’t about chasing peak fitness. It’s about consistency, energy, and mindset. If you can find 30 minutes, you can train.
Zwift makes it accessible. Recording your training with Xhale makes it purposeful.
Train to feel better, not more tired, and carry that energy into the rest of your day.
About the author
Caroline Livesey is an endurance athlete, and a sports and life coach. 2 x winner of the Patagonman Extreme Triathlon and elite gravel cyclist, Caroline coaches all levels of athletes to many different types of goals. She is also co-founder of Peak Education Nepal, a charity funding education for poor children in Nepal.
If you want to know more about Caroline’s coaching then get in touch:
Caroline@trainxhale.com
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Email: caroline@trainxhale.com