There are
many challenges with winter training. First there’s too much snow, then it’s
too cold, and finally there’s ice everywhere. Having a proper winter is not a
problem, it’s the constant temperature changes that make it unbearable. Like here in
Stockholm. There’s almost never enough snow for cross-country skiing and nearly
always too icy to run. What a perfect combination! Sometimes the weather is
indeed excellent for ice-skating on lakes but it seldom lasts very long due to
sudden temperature raises and rainy days. On the other hand the ice-cover seems
to last forever on roads and trails. So here I’ve gathered some tips how to
keep on the good work despite the nasty weather.
Studded shoes. If you want to keep on training outside through
the winter you should at least have is a good pair of studded shoes. It’s the
only way to keep on running safely outside. A pair of skis or skates is a nice
extra, but seems like a waste of money if the opportunities are few. Getting
studded wheels to your bike is probably a better investment, especially if you
are commuting to work with a bike. Sometimes, when the conditions are really
crappy, the best idea is to stick with indoor activities.
Indoor training is not really my cup of tea but I’ve learned
the hard way that it’s a smart thing to do when the conditions outside are what
they are. To keep it interesting, plan your trainings in advance and vary them.
Do different types of intervals and hill reps and change between the sports.
That way it’s easier to stay motivated and get the work done.
Entertainment. Music and TV will help too. Some people watch
movies while they train indoors, I personally prefer music or sports on TV. For
me it has to go fast and have a good rhythm while I’m doing my intervals. Choose
your favourite songs in advance to fit in with your workout, just like on
spinning classes. It makes it so much easier!
Indoor track. Best option for indoor running is an indoor
track. Your stride on track is more natural than on treadmill. Track is at the
same time soft but firm and an excellent surface to run. Unfortunately it’s a
luxury that is seldom available for everyone. Many indoor tracks are only for
club runners and the rest of us have to settle for a treadmill. One way to get
a chance to run on an indoor track is to enter to a race. That’s what I did.
Never before have I had courage to race on track but now I was desperate to get
a good race pace tempo session done and there was no way to do it outside. So
I went and ran a 3000m track race despite the fact that I was far off from my
PB. Self-five!
Intervals. Good workouts on treadmill are intervals. My
personal favourites are short 30-60s intervals, for example 20x45sec. Longer
intervals such as 5x5min or 6x4min work too but longer intervals or continuous tempo
runs are just horrible and time seems to stand still. A minute on treadmill can
feel like an eternity. Two of my most hated treadmill workouts of the winter
have been 3km intervals and an 8km tempo run. On the other hand, a half-long
brisk steady run is definitively better than a sluggish long run because the
overall time is shorter and your posture and stride remains better at slightly
faster pace. Slow jogging on treadmill is just not worth doing. If you want to
keep it slow and easy then it’s probably better to jump on a crosstrainer or
bike.
Combination workouts. The remaining workout is the long
run. It’s definitively the most challenging workout in the winter. It’s
monotonous and extremely boring on a treadmill and outside in sub-zero
temperatures your legs start to freeze and grow numb at latest after 90min of running.
After that the risks overweigh the benefits and there’s no use to continue.
Also running on icy roads longer than 90min is definitively a risk factor. For
an orienteer or a trail runner I would recommend running in
terrain instead of roads and if there’s too much snow or too cold then I would
suggest 2h spinning or some other alternative training. For a runner training
for a marathon I would suggest combination workouts, for instance 90min
cycling, followed by 60min running. After the ride your legs are already slightly
fatigued and you get the benefits of a long run without the risk of getting crazy
or injured.
Be flexible. Also, last but not least, be flexible. You
can postpone your workouts if required. Better to do it well than to force it
through the worst snowstorm. Remember that continuity overweighs any singular
workout. Look at the big picture.
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| The day you had your long run scheduled... |
