WINTER RUNNING TIPS

Winter Running Tips

WINTER PROVIDES A great time to shift your focus to overall health and not be hemmed in by structured training. According to Comox Valley, B.C.’s Dr. Derek Vinge, a chiropractor and reigning provincial off-road champion (he finished second at the world championships in 2017 and is also a former national rower with a 10 km personal best of 31:12), there are a few things to keep in mind to stay injury-free and keep run training fun this winter.

Limit treadmill time

While running indoors provides a good sweat, the repetitious footfall can be a recipe for overuse injuries. “Foot biomechanics are one of the biggest issues for runners, especially endurance athletes training on a treadmill or road with a bad camber,” explains Vinge. “With any repetitive activity it is important to limit the duration and intensity or change the activities to counteract the offending problem.” With COVID-19 restrictions, many gyms are closed or offer very limited space, so instead of running on a treadmill, try to hit some trails, but be cautious of dark and icy areas.

Don’t overdress

Aim to start runs (and rides) feeling slightly cool to avoid sweating as you warm up, which will only chill you later. Adopt simple layering to stay comfortable, including a wicking base layer next to your skin, an insulating midlayer such as a fleece and finally your wind- or waterproof shell as needed. “Add or remove layers to adapt to changing temperatures as you warm up or cool down if at all practical,” advises Vinge.

Focus on short, intense sessions

In contrast to the prevalent long, base-oriented winter miles ethos, consider shorter runs that will add to your lactate threshold and power output by including lots of VO2max intervals and Zone 4 and 5 efforts aimed at gaining speed.

Vinge says, “Keeping some speedwork in the repertoire each week is a good idea, coupled with less volume than in the build phase or the racing season. It will be easier to recover from these sessions with less volume.”

Once the days begin to lengthen again, your body will adapt to longer sessions, but the high-end fitness is not easy to achieve. Winter, when training volume isn’t a priority, provides an ideal time to work on that. Vinge says, “Crosscountry skiing is my secret weapon for early spring races in biking, running or triathlon. I hammer those Nordic ski trails hard for two to three months, so the suffering isn’t as bad as when the tri season begins.”

Build progressively during the workout

Don’t limit your runs to monotonous, single-pace workouts. “Changing paces is important to avoid stagnation and motivation loss on cold winter runs,” says Vinge. “Adding hills, or accelerations, during part of the run keeps the excitement alive.” For example, try an out and back run: Run 30 minutes out, sticking to Zones 1 and 2, then turn around and, on the way back, pick up the pace to Zone 3 and 4, followed by a five- to 10-minute cooldown. Or, run 2.5 km in Zones 1 and

2, 1.5 km in Zone 3, 1 km in Zone 4 and 5, 2 km in Zone 3,

2 km in Zone 2, easing into Zone 1 for the final kilometre.

Incorporate strength and stretching into your run

“I do rotations of lifting at home or a gym, simple movements, such as squats, lunges and deadlifts, to address specific weaknesses,” says Vinge. “I also do burpees with hill repeats at least once a week through the winter to help with upper-body and core strength.”

No space or equipment? No problem. Run to a park and utilize the exercise stations for dips, pull-ups or push-ups, and use benches for step-ups and other lower-body exercises. To give it a triathlon twist, hit the park halfway through your run and end with back-to-back leg sets such as squats, lunges and step-ups – which will provide a similar heavy-legs feeling of a bike-to-run brick workout, then push on home.

There are other considerations, too. Be wary of doing a long-distance event during your prime recovery time, as it is a sure-fire way to wind up injured or burned out. Leave the marathon until spring or later. Also, consider getting on your mountain bike, then throw on your trail shoes for an off-road duathlon as a way to add fun to the off-season. “Any sensible body movement is good movement in the winter,” says Vinge. As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, adhere to health and hygiene protocols and, if you feel unwell, follow the “Number 2” rule: allow an additional two days before you train, then limit the intensity to Zone 2 for at least another two days following that.

Comox Valley’s Kerry Hale is a regular contributor to Triathlon Magazine Canada.