Cold Weather Training
As promised, here is my Monday post. Monday is my typical rest day but since I was at a wedding this weekend, I moved my long run to today. One of my good friends got married in the southern part of Maryland, just far enough away that we had to stay overnight at a hotel. Needless to say it was a great weekend on the southern Bay. This winter the pattern seems to be hot-cold-hot-cold. The weekend fell on the hot cycle so today was back to the cold. Today's high was a balmy 37 degrees. By contrast, it hit 72 on Saturday afternoon.
Thinking more about training, cold weather is usually the time that most athletes take a break. Many hibernate inside and try to get miles in on the trainer and treadmill, or hit the gym packed with winter resolutioners. I hear many stories about how the training just doesn't work or how people have fallen off the wagon during the winter. Like I said last post, I happen to keep myself busy by skiing. Even though it is work for me, I do get a lot of vertical in while patrolling. It all gets me thinking about winter training.
For those who cross-country ski, this often is a great way to stay in shape and mimic many of the movements of running and cycling while the snow keeps piling up. If you don't like the speed of downhill skiing, cross-country offers more choice of terrain. Many trails here in the East are snow-covered park trails or hiking trails. Many have only slight or moderately technical terrain. Cross-country is much like walking or hiking in that the movements are shorter than downhill carving and use similar muscle groups to running/biking. The added benefit to cross-country skiing is the upper body work. Because you also use your arms to propel forward, this can be tuned to a whole body workout. Cross-country equipment isn't necessarily that expensive (at least compared to downhill sets that can run upward of a few grand). One of the trickiest parts is finding the terrain. I've dabbled in backcountry touring and actually like it.
With winters like this supposedly becoming more common (or so the climate scientists say), perhaps picking up the nordic habit isn't that bad of an idea. The change up can be a great way to fend off the boredom of hours on the treadmill and trainer. It's also an activity that can be a very social way to stay in touch over the winter.
For now, I'm sticking with downhill and the thigh burning steeps that come with it but I might try finding some nordic areas next year.
And with that, I'll get ready for tomorrow's snow. In March. In Maryland.
Thinking more about training, cold weather is usually the time that most athletes take a break. Many hibernate inside and try to get miles in on the trainer and treadmill, or hit the gym packed with winter resolutioners. I hear many stories about how the training just doesn't work or how people have fallen off the wagon during the winter. Like I said last post, I happen to keep myself busy by skiing. Even though it is work for me, I do get a lot of vertical in while patrolling. It all gets me thinking about winter training.
For those who cross-country ski, this often is a great way to stay in shape and mimic many of the movements of running and cycling while the snow keeps piling up. If you don't like the speed of downhill skiing, cross-country offers more choice of terrain. Many trails here in the East are snow-covered park trails or hiking trails. Many have only slight or moderately technical terrain. Cross-country is much like walking or hiking in that the movements are shorter than downhill carving and use similar muscle groups to running/biking. The added benefit to cross-country skiing is the upper body work. Because you also use your arms to propel forward, this can be tuned to a whole body workout. Cross-country equipment isn't necessarily that expensive (at least compared to downhill sets that can run upward of a few grand). One of the trickiest parts is finding the terrain. I've dabbled in backcountry touring and actually like it.
With winters like this supposedly becoming more common (or so the climate scientists say), perhaps picking up the nordic habit isn't that bad of an idea. The change up can be a great way to fend off the boredom of hours on the treadmill and trainer. It's also an activity that can be a very social way to stay in touch over the winter.
For now, I'm sticking with downhill and the thigh burning steeps that come with it but I might try finding some nordic areas next year.
And with that, I'll get ready for tomorrow's snow. In March. In Maryland.
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