How I’ve Improved My Running Over The Winter

I’ve set myself the goal of using the winter to improve my resilience so that when the warmer weather comes, I’m in a great place to work towards events.

If you’re new to running then the following tips may be useful to you.

Don’t Expect To Hit Personal Bests

Picture this.

It’s 6.30 am and pitch black. You’re running along the route where you got your 5k PB. The wind is howling off the sea and the rain is battering your face until it's red raw.

Can you expect to get a PB in these conditions?

It’s very unlikely.

Instead, this is the time to focus on Zone 2 work and building your engine.

Rather than sticking to 5k’s, increasing the distance and slowing down the pace will have more benefits. This will improve your aerobic base and overall endurance.

Improving aerobic capacity means come the better weather you’ll be in a better place to maintain a faster pace for a longer period.

Get Off The Roads

My next event is a trail half marathon. My training has transitioned from road-based to trails.

I have limited experience in these terrains so this has been a learning curve so far.

The trails are often quiet this time of year, as the part-time summer walkers won’t be out. Other than a handful of other keen (dog) walkers and runners, you’ll have most of the paths to yourself.

The added benefit is also getting to explore new places.

I’ve been running around country parks very close to where I live but never fully explored. Being in nature is one of my favourite past times so running up a hill for a view at the top recharges my soul.

Getting Weathered

Back to the picture I painted earlier on.

How many people will get up and go out when conditions aren’t great?

Not many. But you can.

You can be the outlier in a world where people gravitate towards the mean.

Running in difficult conditions hardens you. Your adaptability and resilience improve too.

Yes, the wind is blowing in your face. It only makes you a better runner. Your legs become stronger too.

Changing Up Intervals

I usually run intervals on the flats. The exact details vary depending on what I’m working towards.

Over the winter, swapping the roads for trails allows you to experience intervals on the hills and uneven terrain. Following the lay of the land will test your ability to get up the slopes.

The need for strict timing of intervals is gone and you can begin to gamify it. Experimenting with running up steep sections and recovering on the flats will test your leg strength and cardiovascular ability. Varying your heart rate improves your heart rate variability (HRV).

These can be part of the long run too, enabling you to switch up the monotony of maintaining a steady pace.

For me, this is what makes trail running fun. I can switch up my pace and enjoy the terrain.

I can become part of the land.

Running over the winter doesn’t have to be restricted to the treadmill. You can explore the local landscapes on trails with a decent waterproof jacket and shoes.

Don’t be afraid to run intervals on the hills and have fun on the rocky terrain.

If you’d rather stick to the roads than go long, slow runs to build your aerobic capacity which will improve your pace come the milder months.

Happy running!

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