Klecker recommends that runners include the following exercises as part
of their winter training regimen:Surviving When the Cold Winds Blow
Winters can be mean in the Midwest, especially when the cold winds blow from the north. The wind-chill factor can make running outdoors uncomfortable. "You learn quickly to check wind direction when you head out the door," says American 50-mile record holder Barney Klecker. (He and his wife, Janis, a 1992 Olympian, live in Minnetonka, a suburb of Minneapolis.) "You'll be floating along effortlessly, then halfway through the workout, you turn to head home and realize you're facing a 40-mile-an-hour wind." Klecker adds ruefully: "You only make that mistake once."
Yet Midwest runners survive--even thrive by being forced to adjust their training. Klecker believes that running through a Minnesota winter is an advantage, rather than a disadvantage, because runners are compelled to change training patterns. "Winter causes a number of changes," Klecker explains. "First, it forces you to rest a while. Second, you need to do different workouts, so you get out of the grind of 70 to 80 miles a week. There's no way you can run fast when you're bundled up against subzero winds and running on roads covered with ice and snow. You have to slow down to survive."
In the chapter "Cold Weather" in my book How To Train, Klecker recommended doing some workouts indoors like treadmill running, stationary biking, aquarunning, and strength training. Outdoor cross-training workouts he recommended included snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or even hiking, in addition to running at a slower pace as dictated by weather conditions. Leading up to the 1992 Olympic Marathon Trials, Barney's wife Janis trained in exactly that manner through a Minnesota winter. Janis allowed only two weeks in California for acclimatization before the late-January Trials in Houston. She won in 2:30:12, a personal record.
Klecker recommends that runners include the following exercises as part
of their winter training regimen:
Outdoor running: Bundle up. For maximum warmth, use layers of clothing, with moisture-wicking fabrics on the inside and moisture-shedding fabrics on the outside. A knit hat and mittens are essential. Janis sometimes wears a scarf over her mouth for protection; Barney usually just covers his exposed skin with a lubricating protector such as petroleum jelly. Don't worry about running fast. Just cover the distance at a comfortable pace. The extra weight of winter clothes slows you down, but adds resistance.
Indoor running: The Kleckers have a treadmill in their home capable of speeds up to 12 miles per hour. They can do any type of speed workout (intervals, repeats, fartlek) that they could do on an outdoor track. Sometimes they train on the 200-meter indoor track at the University of Minnesota. Many Twin Cities runners run winters around the circular corridors of the Metrodome, where the Minnesota Vikings play football.
Snowshoeing: This is the Kleckers' favorite winter training regimen. For fast workouts, they snowshoe on packed trails (used by skiers or snowmobilers). For endurance workouts, they head into the woods and trudge through snowdrifts. Barney estimates that snowshoe miles are anywhere from one to four minutes slower than running miles. Occasionally, the Kleckers don snowshoes during the summer--although they get strange stares. "Janis was coming back after a stress fracture one year and was able to snowshoe on grass two weeks before she could have started running," Klecker says. "There was less pounding." Click here for more on snowshoeing.
Cross-country skiing: Although the Kleckers don't incorporate skiing into their training routine, they recognize its appeal to other runners, who sometimes shift entirely to ski trails during the winter. Cross-country skiing actually provides a total-body workout, since it uses the shoulders and arms. "The only problem is you do use different muscles skiing than you do for running," Klecker says. "If you're serious about your running, you do need to mix some running with your skiing." There are two cross-country techniques: skating and classic. "Skating," which is similar to ice skating in its side-to-side movements, is the preferred technique for going fast on skis. Skiers who skate need a wide and smoothly groomed trail. "Classic" skiing involves more straightforward movements, either in groomed, double-set tracks or in untracked snow. Classic skiing is a better cross-training technique for runners because its movements more closely resemble running. Check my Beginning Skier's Guide for more on the subject.
Aquarunning: Running or swimming in a pool offers another winter option. Runners used to the scenery outdoors sometimes find swimming boring, but you can vary your routine by doing a variety of water exercises and even playing water games.
Stationary bicycling: Indoor biking offers a good workout while being gentle on the legs. The Kleckers do 1- to 3-minute interval sprints on the bike and find there is no residual fatigue to limit their running workouts the following day.
Strength training: The Kleckers follow a 30-minute strength routine, moving rapidly between exercises that involve 8 to 20 repetitions of relatively light weights. They alternate between upper and lower body exercises. It is possible to turn weightlifting into an aerobic exercise if you combine high repetitions with light weights and short periods of rest between different routines.
By blending the various activities above into your winter training routine, you can not merely survive this difficult season of the year, but you can both temporarily rest your running muscles and strengthen your body for when the weather does warm. More important: you’ll change your attitude toward winter, a season that can be enjoyed rather than disliked.
Klecker recommends the following routine for maintaining fitness when the cold winds blow:
Outdoor aerobics: Activities outdoors could include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, running, or hiking. Focus on the time and energy you spend on whichever activity you choose, not the number of miles. Snowshoers and hikers move slower than runners. An accomplished skier moves faster than runners. Klecker suggests training outdoors three days a week with one of those days a long workout.
Indoor strength: Winter is a good time to do strength training either at a health club or at home. You can use free weights, machines or your own body weight. Klecker suggests indoor strength training at least three days a week. Strength training can be done on days where you also have other activities scheduled. For instance, come in after 30 minutes of snowshoeing to lift weights for 30 minutes. At a health club, you can run 30 minutes on a treadmill, then move to the exercise machines, then finish with a swim.
Running (outdoors or indoors): Alternate activities work well during the winter, but you also need to do some running to maintain the muscles you use in your main sport. Klecker suggests running at least three days a week with one of those days a relatively long run. Click here for more on Winter Training.
These three disciplines can be combined as follows. On several days of the week, two activities are combined.
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Klecker suggests that the above schedule should be used as a guide for winter training, not a strict recipe to be followed blindly. Workouts indoors and outdoors, running and other activities, can be mixed depending on convenience and the weather. "If you look out the window and discover 10 inches of fresh snow on the ground," Klecker says, "that's a day when you probably want to reach for your snowshoes or skis, rather than your running shoes."
"Winter Training" is adapted from the chapter "Cold Weather" in Hal Higdon’s How To Train." To obtain a copy, go to Books By Hal Higdon.
Sign up here for an InterActive Winter Training Program