I don’t know if you’ve noticed, I mean the news don’t go on about it much, but it’s snowing in a lot of the country. It’s certainly disrupted a lot of the races this weekend - with cancellations at Reading, Fleet and Wigan, and even the legendary Grizzly has been forced to only offer the 10 mile Cub Run - and it has the potential to disrupt your training.
We bring you some ideas to keep your training on track, or just suggestions to do something else instead!
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Hit the trails. While pavements might be icy, good old footpaths and bridleways are likely to offer you much firmer footing. The going will be tough and your hip flexors will get a good workout as each footfall sinks a few inches, but it’s likely to be a whole lot of fun.
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Whether you’re hitting the streets or the countryside here are a couple of articles to help you stay safe:
Dr Andrew Murray’s top tips for running in snow
Ieuan Thomas and Tom Marshall’s snow running tips
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Hit the treadmill. Not everybody’s favourite option but you can bank some really solid training on the treadmill. It’s great for interval sessions and you’ll be able to ensure a level of consistency and safety that the pavements won’t give you today! If you find the treadmill boring there are ways to keep interesting. We recently tried out the Zwift app, which allows you to interact and run in a virtual world with other runners all around the world. It’s currently free!
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Don’t run! You may not like this option but if you have a niggle or have been overdoing it recently then not running today might actually benefit your running in the longer term. You could spend today with those family members and friends that you often neglect due to your weekend long run. You might find you like them.
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Try something else. Hit the turbo, or maybe try a circuits class, for a cardio smash-up that will probably get you into heart rate zones you rarely explore while running! Dust off that mountain bike, or hit the skis. Maybe it’s an opportunity to work on your strength - in the gym, by doing some yoga or by trying the climbing wall.
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If your race was cancelled today, and you’re feeling all down in the dumps about all that time you spent training towards that goal, why not find another race in the next few weeks as a new focus. Have a look at letsdothis.com to find your next challenge.
If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that sitting on the sofa and lamenting the state of the weather is not going to do any of us any good today. Get out there and be badass because champions are made in the winter.
