Is anyone else struggling to pick up the training at the start of this year? Still no races in sight makes it hard for some of us to stay motivated and train hard. The weather is probably wet, cold, both or even worse snowy and icy! For the first time in my life, I wished I had a treadmill (and I hate running indoors)! Here are a few simple tips for training during the winter months.
- Work on the basics
The difficult conditions – icy/ muddy/ dark may be making it difficult for you to do all the training you had planned. In particular speed sessions and shorter intervals are basically impossible for me at the moment with the ice we have here. So rather than stress that you can’t do it, re-focus your training and work on building a strong foundation for the upcoming season. Slower, longer runs and fartlek sessions are still possible and a perfect way to get a strong aerobic base.
- Be flexible
Some of you may like to follow a training plan on a daily basis, then get frustrated when you can’t tick all the sessions off… Well, if Covid has taught us one thing it’s to be flexible and know that sometimes we have to adapt. I love to see many people cross training with skiing instead of running whilst we have all this snow! Or those of you lucky enough to have a turbo trainer this is also a perfect way to train during winter, there are many options, find what works for you.
- Focus on strength and stability
Home workouts are quick, easy and highly effective. You don’t need a full home gym or tonnes of equipment, there are plenty of bodyweight workouts that you can do. Focus on your weaknesses, build your strengths and improve your flexibility to be in top shape for the trails!
- Be equipped and have fun
When you are out training, make sure you’re kitted out with a good head torch for the dark, super grippy shoes for the winter conditions and lots of layers to keep warm. Having fun has to be at the heart of everything you do, so remember to smile, enjoy your training and stay safe during the winter.
One response
Danke für diese motivierenden Worte. Man muss immer das beste aus allen Wetterbedingungen machen, da hast du vollkommen recht.
Ich stimme dir vollkommen zu!