Ace Your Spring Race!
Shine bright this spring by choosing the right seasonal goal.
Shine bright this spring by choosing the right seasonal goal. – By AC Shilton
Winter can be a tricky time for runners: days are shorter and temperatures lower. Rain and other adverse weather conditions can tempt you to skip workouts, especially if you aren’t actively training for something. A number of factors threaten to derail your workouts during the cold-weather months. “Because of this, you have to create time every day – in advance – for your workouts,” says Ryan Bolton, who coaches 2015 Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich.
Choosing a goal to carry you through the coming months will keep you from getting stuck in a slothful rut. Put down that glass of red, grab your tights and beanie, and set your sights on one of these four targets.
NAIL A SHORTER RACE
There’s a reason 5-Ks and 10-Ks are so popular in winter – they’re short! Runners who aim to race one of these distances should run three or four days per week, working up to a long run of at least five kilometres (for the 5-K) or 10-K (for the 10-K) a week or two before the event.
Runners with time goals should build their 5-K or 10-K training around speedwork. If you’re new to faster running, start by adding five to ten 30- to 60-second pick-ups, with a minute or two of jogging between each, in the middle of one run per week. For more experienced runners, Bolton suggests short, hard efforts once or twice a week to build power and turnover. “Focus on 200- to 600-metre repeats,” he says. Do some workouts with short, jogging recovery intervals (to build endurance and mental toughness) and other workouts with plenty of walking or jogging rest (so you can do every rep close to all-out).
For peak performance, race no more than once per month, says Joan Scrivanich, a running coach.
In addition to speedwork, advanced runners who want to notch a 5-K or 10-K PB ought to work in weekly tempo and long runs to build and maintain aerobic fitness. For tempo efforts, Bolton tells his athletes to work up to maintaining 85 to 90 per cent of 10-K pace for five to six kilometres. Long runs
can be (relatively) short – the average runner doesn’t need to run more than 12 to 16 kilometres to ace a 5-K or 10-K.
LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD
A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that working out in warm temps burned more fat than exercising in cold conditions.
That’s why eating nutrient-dense, whole foods is crucial for weight loss in winter. Strategic workouts can help, too. “Recent research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is very effective for weight loss,” says Pamela Nisevich Bede, registered dietician and co-author of Run to Lose. For maximum results, keep both the work and the rest intervals short – neither should be longer than a minute – and do each rep as hard as you can. (See ‘HIIT It’, below, for workout ideas.) Bede also recommends running first thing in the morning when possible, because your metabolism works at an accelerated pace for several hours post-exercise. To further harness this effect, you could split up a moderate-to-long easy run into two shorter runs – one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening – to spend more time in that accelerated metabolic state.
STAY COMMITTED
It can be especially tough to work out when it’s cold and the rain is torrential outside. However, you can stay in shape with a minimal amount of kilometres. Bolton says two weeks of running only 40 per cent of your usual mileage is enough to allow you to pick up where you left off. The most expedient way to work training into your schedule is to get it done first thing. If you must go later, you might feel more motivated (less guilty) if you can involve your companions in some way –say, by challenging your kids to ride their bikes alongside you as you run.
When the weather is less than favourable, shift your focus to fitting in whatever you can. If it’s raining outside, don’t get sucked into the ‘it’s not worth it’ trap, Bolton says. Do a plank, some burpees, some squats – anything to activate your muscles and/or get your heart pumping.
However, if the stress of squeezing in workouts outweighs the satisfaction you would derive from completing them, set the goal of coming back on a calmer day, refreshed and ready to recommit.
ENDURE THE COLDER WEATHER
Toughing out colder conditions, particularly running into a headwind, which adds resistance to your run, will pay off in spring. However, if you’re planning on doing faster repeats, severe wind and rain could be detrimental to your workout. That’s when it’s better to take workouts indoors. “If I know my athlete will sacrifice the quality of the run because of the cold, I’ll get them to do the run on the treadmill,” Bolton says.
Even a slight headwind will affect your performance, so lower your expectations for cold outdoor workouts. How much you’ll slow down depends on a variety of factors, including the temperature, your fitness level, your body type, and how acclimated you are to the cold. Cut yourself slack if your watch and your perceived effort don’t match up.
For best results on any run, “try to run early in the morning or in the evening if you can,” says Scrivanich, and wear protective gear like tights and beanies. A tip: layer your winter gear appropriately, to prevent overheating.
