Mambo No. 5

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is Mambo (CK Edit) No. 5. I am currently writing this rubbing my feet together in the coziest corner of my couch as I watch the first snowfall of the season with a glass of warm milk (don’t judge). Remember when we had to write essays, like rough draft to final, BY HAND, with a time limit?? Kids these days will never understand.

I announced on Friday that my next race will be the 70.3 North American Championships in Happy Valley, PA. Now that it’s officially on the calendar as my first race of 2026, I’ve been thinking about what I want my off-season routine to look like this winter.

This week has reminded me how quickly life can shift - how endings, challenges, and new beginnings can exist at once. This has been a time of change and reflection for my family, and it’s put a lot into perspective about what truly matters to me: health, connection, and moving forward even when the path is uncertain. Maybe that’s why off-season feels particularly special to me right now - it’s a built-in reminder to pause, reset, and focus on what makes me feel whole, both on and off the course. 

Now that it’s dark at 4pm again, I’ve been embracing off-season habits that bring me a sense of purpose and consistency during these colder, quieter months. Over-obsessing over the perfect off-season routine is a recipe for burnout. Instead of enforcing a strict routine, I’m trying to appreciate the flexibility that comes with this unstructured time of year. 

Off season for me means more rest, a lottt of yoga and heated mat workouts that I don’t usually have time for, and consistent, not performance focused movement. And of course, more time for my family and friends<3 I also plan to put a bit more focus on indoor bike training this winter since it’s definitely the discipline that needs the most work for me. I’ve been thinking about investing in a trainer and experimenting with aero bars this winter. The off-season is a great time to give your weaker discipline that extra attention and effort. 

I also make a point to fuel my body consistently even if the intensity of my workouts is down. I know this can be a struggle for many women, for a variety of reasons. I like to think of myself like a bear in hibernation - I want to feel strong and recharged when the next training block arrives, and not fatigued from lack of fuel. Of course, race week carbo loading might not be necessary… every day of off-season…but be very careful restricting, it can quickly lead to injury and burnout!

Watching Lucy Charles-Barclay and Taylor Knibb go 1-2 at 70.3 Ironman Worlds after separate heartbreaks at Kona just a month ago was the perfect reminder that even the best athletes rebuild. Setbacks are part of the process and they’re what make comebacks possible. Their performances were an incredible display of resilience and proof that strength is built just as much in recovery as it is in the race itself.

Life, like training, is cyclical - effort and recovery, endings and beginnings. Right now I find something somewhere between the beginning and end. With every new season, I hope to stay curious, open, and willing to see opportunity in change - moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose.

For those who couldn’t join the first Train Payne Q&A last Tuesday, we’ll be holding them on the first Tuesday of every month moving forward! We covered a bunch of topics ranging from strength training and injury prevention to nutrition, off-season routines, and beginner bike recommendations. It was so fun chatting with everyone about all things endurance, and I hope to see even more faces next time!

I hope this newsletter found you without frozen hair, wind burn, or zwift burnout & I’ll check in again next week (if thats ok w you). 

Officially out of daylight XX

Caleigh