Training in the Winter

Some of you may be wondering how you train for swimming, biking, and running in the late fall, winter, and early spring.  Don’t let the low temperatures, minimal daylight hours, or the potential for rain, snow and ice be your excuse to further mold a butt-print on your sofa. It is easy to get de-motivated in the winter months, but instead you can use this time to add some valuable base-training or intensity to your work outs.   

For the swim, things are pretty easy - the local Y has a pool. It's warmer than most lakes, treated chemically to try to kill the nasties that get in from people who don't shower before jumping in, and has a black stripe along the bottom. Granted, it's not the ideal training ground for open water swimming, but it does have the benefit of a pace clock and the certain knowledge that there's a 99% chance we won't freeze to death, and we won’t get arrested for trespassing, unlike the local lakes. It definitely helps to swim with a partner or group (like a masters swim class) to keep motivated.

For the bike, you can always move to the deep south, like Florida or southern California, and ride every day of the year!  But if that doesn’t work out, then there are other fun options for your consideration.  If your roads are clear of snow and ice, then you can still ride outside using “snivel” gear.  Lots of companies sell cold-weather cycling clothes to keep your core and extremities (especially toes, fingers, and head) warm.  Still, on some days the cold is just too much to bear, so there are multiple indoor options.  We use a “trainer” parked in our living room in front of the TV.  You mount your rear wheel on and it provides enough resistance to allow you to pedal your way to a respectable puddle of sweat on the floor (so we also suggest rubber mat under it). Our trainer is made by Kurt Kinetic and it's awesome. And by awesome, we mean it would be at home in any torture chamber.  You can pedal your legs to exhaustion while watching cycling workout videos from various companies (we like the “Sufferfest” series), or you can watch whatever’s on the tube.  A half hour on the trainer feels like about an hour of outdoor cycling.  Oh yeah, don't forget to point a fan on yourself!  Other options include exercise bikes (either at home or at the gym) or “spin” bikes like the kind used for spin classes at the gym.  If you’ve never tried a spin class, give it a shot.  They usually last 45 minutes or an hour, are fun while providing a great workout, and unlike zumba or aerobics, don’t require much rhythm or skill. 

For the run, again, put on snivel gear and get outside if the roads are safe.  You definitely don't want to be wearing cotton though - learn a lesson from mountaineers and explorers and stick to the wools or synthetics.  Indoors, the treadmill is the obvious choice and works well as a task master – you can vary the speed, vary the slope, use the buttons to hit your intervals, and watch the improvements build over the winter months, all while keeping current on your favorite Food Network programs!  And, since most treadmills are easier on your joints than running on asphalt, your body may appreciate the softer ride provided by the treadmill. If the TV is too mind-numbing while on the trainer or treadmill, then try listening to an audiobook.  “The Game of Thrones” series of books will give you hundreds of hours of literary listening pleasure and you’ll find yourself looking for ways to exercise so you can listen to more of the story!  

 

Finally, consider using the winter “off season” to bump up your strength and core training.  Multiple options here from simple body weight exercises you can do at home, to dumbbells and gym circuits.  More about this later!