Search
Categories
- Marathon Training (7)
- Running (6)
- Winter Running (5)
- Chicago Marathon (3)
- Marathon (3)
- Motivation (2)
- Nutrition (2)
- Preparation (2)
- Time (2)
- winter (1)
- Ankle Sprains (1)
- Injury Prevention (1)
- chicago (1)
- Injury Treatment (1)
- Cleanse (1)
Archives
- December 2009 (1)
- June 2010 (1)
- July 2010 (2)
- August 2010 (3)
- September 2010 (2)
- October 2010 (1)
- November 2010 (3)
- December 2010 (1)
- January 2011 (1)
- April 2011 (2)
Fear and Loathing of Winter Running
Part 2
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more." Use this Shakespeare quote as your mantra to get out the door for winter training. But REALLY take note of a few more tips to manage winter running and your expectations against the perils it can bring.
Slow Wins This Winter Race. Steady Now.
I've described the many pitfalls of winter running in part one of this post - and how those can make you a tough runner. Even so, there's one very important thing for you to remember when running in the winter wonderland: there's nothing wrong with slowing down! With all those elements - wind, rain, sleet, snow, fog, darkness, endless outerwear, windburn, wind briefs, dry-nose, slush, wet feet, frostbite (potentially!), exposed capillaries, rosacea, closed bathrooms, ice, black ice, falling ice, nose icicles, hail, frost, diamond dust and freezing rain - don't sweat it if your various paces aren't as fast as spring and summer training. Yeah, you'll want to stay close to your paces, but there are too many elements against you to be your fastest. Managing this expectation will save you from the heartache that comes with not being able to hit your mark. In the end, though, it doesn't matter. Being a few seconds off the pace in any workout (tempo, speed, or long run) will not affect your long term fitness in any of these areas.
Managing the Wind
Eventually the wind will be at your back and the opposite will happen - your pace will be slightly faster. Many runners have asked me how to gauge a workout's performance when the wind is whipping, which it is wont to do in the winter. You'll want to always take wind at ‘effort’. The general rule is for every mile per hour of wind, your split time should increase or decrease by one second. So if the wind is against you at ~15 mph, and your normal tempo mile split is eight minute pace in ideal conditions, your new effort pace should be ~8:15 pace. You'll see that if you try and maintain an 8 minute pace, your effort will seem more like 7:45 pace. The exact opposite is true when the wind is at your back.
The Dreadmill is Your Friend
Sometimes the outside winter conditions are too poor to even think about crossing the threshold. Especially when it's near or below zero. We runners have to draw the line somewhere, right? On those especially cold days there is absolutely no shame in hitting the treadmill. In fact, you should try and have access to one. I know what you're thinking: treadmills are a snooze. BORING. There is no denying that you might have more fun watching a pot of water come to a boil. But when your epidermis can't take another whip of wind to the face, the dreadmill is your best friend. Instead of seeing a goose egg in the old dailymile column, you see a very crooked prime number. A prime number! Yay, you!
If there is any indication that running on a treadmill is a cool alternative these days, this video proves it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA
I've described the many pitfalls of winter running in part one of this post - and how those can make you a tough runner. Even so, there's one very important thing for you to remember when running in the winter wonderland: there's nothing wrong with slowing down! With all those elements - wind, rain, sleet, snow, fog, darkness, endless outerwear, windburn, wind briefs, dry-nose, slush, wet feet, frostbite (potentially!), exposed capillaries, rosacea, closed bathrooms, ice, black ice, falling ice, nose icicles, hail, frost, diamond dust and freezing rain - don't sweat it if your various paces aren't as fast as spring and summer training. Yeah, you'll want to stay close to your paces, but there are too many elements against you to be your fastest. Managing this expectation will save you from the heartache that comes with not being able to hit your mark. In the end, though, it doesn't matter. Being a few seconds off the pace in any workout (tempo, speed, or long run) will not affect your long term fitness in any of these areas.
Managing the Wind
Eventually the wind will be at your back and the opposite will happen - your pace will be slightly faster. Many runners have asked me how to gauge a workout's performance when the wind is whipping, which it is wont to do in the winter. You'll want to always take wind at ‘effort’. The general rule is for every mile per hour of wind, your split time should increase or decrease by one second. So if the wind is against you at ~15 mph, and your normal tempo mile split is eight minute pace in ideal conditions, your new effort pace should be ~8:15 pace. You'll see that if you try and maintain an 8 minute pace, your effort will seem more like 7:45 pace. The exact opposite is true when the wind is at your back.
The Dreadmill is Your Friend
Sometimes the outside winter conditions are too poor to even think about crossing the threshold. Especially when it's near or below zero. We runners have to draw the line somewhere, right? On those especially cold days there is absolutely no shame in hitting the treadmill. In fact, you should try and have access to one. I know what you're thinking: treadmills are a snooze. BORING. There is no denying that you might have more fun watching a pot of water come to a boil. But when your epidermis can't take another whip of wind to the face, the dreadmill is your best friend. Instead of seeing a goose egg in the old dailymile column, you see a very crooked prime number. A prime number! Yay, you!
If there is any indication that running on a treadmill is a cool alternative these days, this video proves it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA
Bookmark/Search this post with:
