Consistency is King- Strava (You can click the link on the side to see all my training data) has become the hotbed for social networking and sport performance- and rightfully so! But the winter months are not the time for FOMO or trying to go mile-for-mile with your closest competition!! Winter is for consistency! Remember, as an endurance athlete, we are out there a long time! When you have to deal with snow, sleet, ice, subzero temps and a lack of daylight, any training at all can be considered a success somedays. And if you are like me, and you do whatever you can to earn your miles OUTSIDE, sometimes shortening a run or heading home early due to, say, a frozen water bottle, is still a heck of a lot better than spending the day on the couch! I emphasize TOF (Time on Feet) over miles or even Vert in the winter months.
X is for Cross Training- Specificity in training is super important...but when I look at my goal races (May and August) I quickly remember I have 5 to 8 months before these goals! What I do today sets the foundation for the specific training (ie hills, speed, downhill efficiency, technical running etc) but it is hard to hone your skills for a, say, rocky 50K race, when you are running steep sidewalks in ice and subzero temps...Endurance athletics requires total body strength! My cross training includes Snowshoe hiking (I have some big ol Tubbs) and weight training (ugh indoors), plus I am excited to spend more time on my new XC skiis and I even spend the entire month delivering packages for UPS (talk about working some muscles I didn't know i had)! A stronger overall athlete earns a mental break from their chosen sports, strengthens non sport specific muscles (Arms and back for me, plus additional Core work) and increases their overall wellness with new challenges. Whats not to Love about cross-training?
Try new routes- Winter is a great time for trail athletes to try new routes- There are certain trails I won't touch when the snow melts, usually due to long grass and ticks, but they are simply breathtaking in the winter! Additionally, snowmobile trails provide a unique, packed surface and are often well maintained in the winter- Variety is the spice of life, as they say!
Work on weakness- I self identify as a MUT runner (Mountain/Ultra/Trail) but what about road running, or short races, or even a multi-sport competition? Furthermore, I hate the track- Why not explore the old circle during the winter months, to see if I can't improve? Or run with your local road club for a few weeks to see if you can't hit that high school 5K again? Plus there are some really fun short races to check out like up-hilling at ski areas throughout New England Winter Wild or the fast and fun NE snowshoe series http://dionwmacsnowshoe.com/. With a little attention, you're weakness may become a strength by the time the snow melts!
Higher Fat/Lower Carb?- Due to my college studies and my incessant label reading as a Type 1 diabetic, I have a pretty vast knowledge of nutrition. While I won't preach a certain diet, I do believe certain rules and ideas can be helpful to most athletes. Generally speaking, the lower the effort of exercise, the more we rely on fat as fuel. Inversely, the higher the effort, the more our bodies shift to carbohydrate as the primary source for energy. No matter the type of training, chances are, due to the temperature and the conditions, you will be moving slower during the winter months. It is my advice to eat a more Fat specific diet during the winter months to help prevent weight gain and further help the body to use fat as a fuel. My diet moves to include a lot more Avocados, Nuts and Nut butters, and Coconut in the winter months. See if this might work well for you too.
Be Social- You may have a couple "running friends" or you may consider all your running partners to be like family- Regardless, winter is a great time to get out there with others. Having friends to go with gets you out of the house when the wood stove or cup of cocoa is trying to hold you back or to help you gut out additional training when you are just too tired or cold. Additionally, the tough conditions make it easier to run with people of different speeds (as the terrain and conditions often limit the pace), so feel free to expand to faster and slower running partners alike. Finally, join a weekly run, like our Team AMP/Six03 Pub run at Salt Hill- You'll meet new people, check out new routes and maybe even make a friend or two along the way. As a matter of fact, our weekly run can include beginners, International runners and even Olympians...we all have a great time and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Happy trails and stay tuned to check out my race schedule as I iron it out in the next few weeks!
*I have added Julbo eyewear to my list of sponsors for 2018- I have worn Julbo shades since 2009 and am super stoaked with their transition lenses for a variety of sports, and their new and improved prescription lens system, my favorites being the Race and Aero models- Made in France and with USA headquarters in VT, I am super Proud to join the team!!!
@SalmingRunningNorthAmerica @Julbo_eyewear @TeamAMPactive
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