Training Zone
How to Train with No Races
Track races are slowly returning, but mass-participation road races, once assumed to be safe by fall 2020, are still being cancelled. For many runners, the lack of a goal on the calendar is devastating, and that’s compounded by the loss of big group runs and practices. If you need an extra dose of accountability to actually get a workout completed, here are some ways to keep your competitive fire burning, even without start corrals.
Create a challenge
Thousands of runners all over the world have embraced virtual racing, but if it doesn’t appeal to you, create your own challenge that speaks to you and your usual running crew. Thanks to apps like Strava, it’s never been easier to get competitive with friends, despite not running together.
Designate a certain segment each week that you’re all going to run, or set up a challenge to see who can run the most kilometres in a month – whatever it takes to get the competitive juices f lowing while races and weekly group workouts are on hold. You can go short term or long term, local or distance/time-based if you’re in a different location t han your friends. For inst ance, a group of women in Collingwood, Ont. has set up the Summer of Bruce challenge for their friends, urging everyone to log 893 kilometres between Victoria Day and Labour Day to celebrate the distance of the Bruce Trail (some of which remain closed – see br ucet rail. org for updates).
Add an expert
If you’re lacking motivation because you’re stuck running solo, you may want to enlist a coach to get you pumped up. It’s easy to fall into a solo run funk and just do the same hour-long run four times a week, but a coach can challenge you with guidance, workouts and pep talks. “Coaches can be most helpful with setting new expectations and goals for athletes,” says sports psychologist Alison PopeRhodius of San Francisco. “They can help you work through what you can do right now, which could be things that you’ve overlooked in the past.” (For example, if you have a group that only runs on f lat routes but your goal race includes 1,000 metres of climbing, this could be an ideal time to start doing weekly hill-repeat sessions.)
Embrace racing inside
Treadmills have come a long way, thanks to virtual-reality-based apps like Zwift. It’s hard to fathom turning to the treadmill when the weather is beautiful, but if you love to race hard, consider mixing it up occasionally. With a smart treadmill (or Zwift’s shoe-pod that turns a regular treadmill into a smart treadmill), you can hop on Zwift Island via the app and blast out a new 5k PB by racing people from all over the globe. Take these race days as seriously as you would a traditional race by having your usual prerace dinner, laying out your kit the night before, and doing all your normal warmup routines and rituals. Plan a celebration for postrace as well: even if you can’t hit the beer garden with your friends, you can still enjoy a cold one on your patio with your family.
Find ways to stay accountable
Having a date to meet a friend at 6 a.m. is the ultimate in accountability; bailing at 5:45 makes you a jerk. When you’re suddenly running without a goal race, it can be harder to get out of bed and get moving, so you may need to find a new source of accountability, says Pope-Rhodius. In fact, research has shown that a new exercise partner can boost your accountability even more than sticking to your old standby. You may have to enlist a spouse to turn on the lights at 5:30 a.m. if you’re a morning runner, or find a virtual run group that checks in daily. Having to report to a coach and tell them whether you completed the day’s training can also be a great way to stay honest when going it alone.