Favourite Winter Run Workouts

LANNING YOUR LONGER RUN SESSIONS IN PTHE WINTER CAN BE CHALLENGING. COLD TEMPERATURES, SNOW AND ICE AND LESS DAYLIGHT CAN MAKE RUNNING ON THE ROADS AND SIDEWALKS TREACHEROUS. DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, THERE ARE SOME GREAT OPTIONS FOR RUNNING IN THE COLDER

Treadmill running can be incredibly effective. Like the stationary trainer for bikes, treadmills offer a very controlled environment that will allow you to hone in pace, effort and incline. Treadmill running should always be approached conservatively. The stress on the body is slightly different than it is on the road. There is also some good evidence showing increased stress on the Achilles tendon, so you need to progress carefully when starting regular treadmill workouts.

IN-AND-OUT: HILLS

One of the most effective treadmill sessions you can do is an in-and-out hill workout. Consider this an endurance run with small, but regular injections of intensity in the form of hills. This intensity will add training stress and variety to the treadmill that will not only help your fitness, but will also help you stay focused during the workout. Set the pace so you are at an endurance effort, or rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 65 to 70 per cent, and set the incline at 1.5 per cent to closely mimic flat road conditions. Every few minutes bump the incline up to 5 per cent or more, but keep the speed the same. The increased incline, while maintaining the same speed, will add a small amount of intensity at regular intervals during the run.

Total Run Time: 60 minutes (easily made longer by adding reps to the main set)

WARM-UP 10 min easy at 1.5 per cent incline

4 x (30 sec at 5 per cent incline, 90 sec easy at 1.5 per cent incline) 2 min easy

MAIN SET

6 x (4 min at 1.5 per cent incline and endurance pace/effort/65-70 per cent, 1 min at the same pace and 5 per cent incline)

COOL DOWN 10 min easy at 1.5 per cent incline

IN-AND-OUT: TURNOVER

Similar to the in-and-out hill workout, this session includes small, but regular pieces of intensity with increased pace. Set the initial speed so you are at an endurance effort or RPE of 65 to 70 per cent, and set the incline at 1.5 per cent once again. Every few minutes bump the speed up to your 5- or 10-km race pace.

Total Run Time: 60 minutes (easily made longer by adding reps to the main set)

WARM-UP

10 min easy at 1.5 per cent incline

4 x (30 sec at 1.5 per cent incline and 10 km race pace, 90 sec easy at 1.5 per cent incline) 2 min easy

MAIN SET

6 x (4 min at 1.5 per cent incline and endurance pace/ effort/65-70 per cent, 1 min at 1.5 per cent grade and 5 to 10 km race pace)

COOL DOWN

10 min easy