When training in the snow wether it is running or biking you need to take extra precautions. We all now the dangers of the cold tmperatures, so we need to make sure we dress warm enough to get through our workouts. Besides dressing warm enough you need to look a little deeper into the workout and into the conditions outsides. You want to make sure you keep your eyes ahead of you surveying your running surface but especially watching the vehicles you might be sharing the roadway with (remember to run towards traffic and not with it). If the temperatures are below freezing watch for icy patches, these are spots in your workout were you can easily get injured if you are not paying attention. Treat every wet spot on the roadway as black ice or an icy patch. Take your time and run under control over these areas. If there is a vehicle around you when approaching a questionable area stop, and let the car pass you then proceed with care.
When biking in cold conditions, it is very important to dress warm, don't forget to take wind chill into consideration when dressing to bike. Can get very chilly. Brrr!! So dress warm, very warm. If roadways are wet and is close to freezing Do Not go out. You do not want to risk wrecking your bike and potentially really hurting yourself from skidding on an ice patch. Pretty straight forward. One other major obstacle you might encounter while biking in the winter is road cinders and road debris. When it snows road crews hit our roads with salt and cinders. As the snow melts and cars use the roads the salt and cinders make their way to the shoulder of the road (our biking lane). These small pieces of road debris act as marbles, making it very hard to control your bike when trying to handle a corner/turn. So take your time and be aware of any areas that might present a problem. Constantly survey the road surface in front of you, to prepare yourself for what you might encounter. Train hard but be smart and know when to be patient!! Enjoy the these winter training months!!
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Training outside during these winter months can be uncomfortable, miserable and down right cold. So what do we do to make it more comfortable during these winter months? We pack on the layers and roll ourselves out the door. So what does this mean? This means decreased mobility, limited range of motion, and potentially lots of extra weight from the excess clothing. For these reasons you have to stay calm as a cucumber and try not to get wrapped up in your pace, finishing times, total miles because they will be skewed. Don't beat yourself up over these results. Main goal for these training sessions in the winter is get your miles logged and try to enjoy them as much as possible. Take in all sights and sounds of the outdoors. Enjoy being outside and let that cold crisp air fill your lungs and turn your cheeks red. Keep wishing for warm weather and when you get one of those spring days in the middle of January strip the layers and pound out a great run. Training Tip: When dressing for a cold weather workout dress for the middle of workout not the beginning. For all your winter workout gear visit: www.FitnessCentralInc.com and www.EastonOutdoorCompany.com Endurance Sports Central For endurance athletes living in Pennsylvania, it gets very tough to train, keep yourself motivated, and stay in shape for the winter months. I can’t blame you: the days are shorter, it looks gloomy outside with no leaves on the trees, and not to mention its COLD outside, sometimes hovering in the single digits for weeks. So here are a few training tips to help keep you on point during the cold months and have you prepared for your season to begin in the spring.
1) Use what you learned – Use this time to correct or strengthen everything you learned from your season. Ask yourself the following questions: What parts of my training program will I change from last season? What limiting factors did I encounter during my season/events? What training methods were productive that I would like to carry over to the next season? These questions and their answers will ensure that you hold on to your strengths and correct your weaknesses in your next season. 2) Keep it fresh: EXPERIMENT – This is the time to see how your body will react to new workout techniques and regimens (yoga, a Crossfit class, P90X, or a MMA class). Mix things up to see how your muscles react. Also use the time to try new food/dietary combinations (Paleo Diet, increasing protein in your diet, more veggies, less carbs). 3) Train with others: Hence the old adage – misery loves company. This will allow you to shiver through the cold with someone else and will make your workout a little more bearable. And let’s face it – you won’t get out of bed when it’s thirty degrees outside unless someone’s waiting for you to show up. 4) Strength Training: Start to re-strengthen the supporting muscles that have been neglected during your in-season training. The supporting muscles are just as important as your sport-specific muscles and will be utilized when the other muscles become fatigued in training or on race day. Supporting actors win Oscars – don’t neglect your supporting cast. 5) Get Outside: Always get outside on those rare but awesome unseasonably warm days. Take advantage of these moments and make the most of them. I love training outside and will do almost anything to get out there. There is nothing like fresh crisp air filling those lungs. 6) Schedule: Work on your schedule for next season - this will give you motivation and excitement to keep training and you will have deadlines to make sure you are ready. Additionally, set specific achievements you want to hit next season and write them down for visual accountability. 7) Finally, have FUN!! You have plenty of time in season to be serious. Build a snow fort and challenge the kids or your spouse to a snowball fight. I know they won’t turn down a chance to hit mom or dad with a snowball. So, keep training, think warm weather and palm trees, and it might make it feel a degree or two warmer and keep that body moving. Hope to see you out on the course! This week was a good week other than the winter weather towards the end of the week. Here's what I was up to:
Swim: 3x80 min sessions: 14,050yds (on Wed did 6000 yds) Bike : Consisted of 3 trainer workouts: about 4hrs 10 min - totaling 65 miles was suppose to have long ride on 1/22 but 6 inches of snow put a damper on that idea. Pushing it till Monday or Tuesday weather and road conditions permitting. Run: 3 hours 40 min - totaling about 31 miles - did long yesterday of 13.2 miles on a regular route for myself and PR'd it, so was happy considering icy conditions, all the layers I was wearing and the overall cold temperatures. Misc Core execises: 3 at about an 1hr each : total 3 hours Total Workout Hours per Week: 15 hours First week that I could see the improvements from last season. I felt like I was getting faster and stronger but never related to the workouts till this week. I am not really feeling the fatigue factor as much now as I did before. Todd, my coach from T Wiley Sports, has me on a good plan and will continue to work it as hard as I can, to get the results I desire. Till next time - Give that little extra at the end of each workout Welcome to the K17Sport Blog.
Just got back from a three hour bike ride in freezing conditions. I was debating if I should suck it up to ride outside BBBRRRRR!! or just ride on the trainer BBOOORRRIIINNNGGG workout!! I decided to go with riding outside. It was 16 degrees at the start of the ride and got all the way up to 19 degrees by the time I was done. My whole ride I kept thinking, why am I out here in these frigid conditions and when is it to cold to ride. So I came up with a, how you know when its to cold ride list: 1) Your water bottle freezes within the first twenty minutes of riding 2) You can't eat anything for fear of breaking teeth from food being frozen 3) The fog on your sunglasses begins to freeze 4) Your face is frozen in an ugly smirk that says "What the hell am I doing" 5) You can't feel any of your 10 toes or 10 fingers and Finally 6) You get home and your spouse says is that snot frozen all over your face!! I think next time when it is so cold I will opt to go the boring route. |
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February 2014
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