Winter came on strong here in southeast Idaho last week. But NO WORRIES! I got this figured out. Here are a few thoughts about winter training in the snow and cold.
1. How bad will it really be? 4 miles is 40 minutes at the most, so how cold can you get in 40 minutes when you're putting forth at least some effort? Nothing that five minutes in a hot shower can't fix.
2. Plan to stay out of the wind. Really, it's the wind that is the real culprit in the winter, not the cold. If you dress with layers and cover all the skin, the plain old cold doesn't really get you. It's the wind whipping around and THROUGH your jacket that gets you. So plan to run a route in some trees or at least not in the open areas that are getting blasted by the wind.
3. Get warmed up in the house. It's very difficult to leave a nice warm bed next to your next warm spouse to go out into the freezing cold. It's so easy just to snuggle up for another hour or two, and you'd get major cool points from your wife or hubby, right? To win this mental battle early in the morning when you're not even awake yet, plan at least 15-20 minutes of warmup time in the house to get your blood flowing and maybe a couple cups of coffee in you if that's how you roll. The key is to create a transitional period.
4. Enjoy the SUN! It might be cold, but the sun is shining on many afternoons. Get out there and play in the sun! Plan your runs for the middle of the day, and your gyms and swims in the dark times. Plenty of scientific studies say the sun is good for morale, and common sense says the same.
5. Cross Train! Break out the skis. Personally, I think a day in the backcountry hiking up big hills and then maintaining control on the way down is the hardest workout I do. Cross-country skiing is a great option, too. Don't worry so much about whether you cut a bike or a run to add skiing....the point is to break up the monotony of indoor training and GET OUTSIDE! The positive mental aspects of a break in the monotony will far surpass any issues with missing a bike or run that you do half-ass cuz you just aren't into it mentally.
6. Get organized. You've probably read all about how proper organization can help. That is doubly important in the winter because of the extra gear needed to stay warm. Multiple sets of gear help, too. Here are the setups I have, all with old gear that I had laying around and not really being used (ie I didn't spend a ton of money):
1. A warm top and bottom laid out next to the bed so I can get up easily and get going.
2. Bike trainer clothes. Also, I have a coffee pot with a timer downstairs by the bike trainer room. More than once the smell of the coffee already brewing has gotten me to get out of bed!
3. A set of shoes, pants, jacket, hat, gloves, and shorts/shirt for the one mile run to the gym after the bike trainer workout. They are staged by the bike trainer every day to make a quick transition from the bike to the gym for lifting weights (generally only a winter workout).
4. Set of shoes, pants, jacket, shorts, shirt, hat, and gloves staged at work for running at lunch. I keep it simple and use the same gear each day of the week, taking it home only on Fridays to wash it over the weekend. That might sound gross to some people, but it keeps me from forgetting anything more than one day.
It takes about five minutes each night to restage everything in the house and setup the coffee to start brewing five minutes before I should be getting to the coffee pot in the morning.
And what if you forget something? Go anyway! Today I forgot my socks, and I knew I'd be running through some snow and slush. Oh well, nothing a five minute hot shower won't be able to fix afterwards. And do you know what? They didn't even get cold in the 18 degree weather...just a little wet as if it was raining and 50 degrees.
Bottom line: there are only a few no-kidding good excuses for not training (running) outside in the winter; generally you can work around all the standard "but it's winter" excuses. For me, blizzard conditions, significant ice coverage on my running paths, or other unsafe conditions will keep me inside for a day or two at the most.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Cross Training - XC Ski!
Ski'd yesterday and today, pretty much the same distance, except today was a bit longer and with Paul on my back. That extra 40 pounds makes quite a difference! About 6 and 8 miles respectively, first hour all uphill followed by 25 minutes downhill cruising.
Anyway....I love living a 20 minute drive from a great XC ski area. This year I expect to do more XC skiing than backcountry simply because Paul is getting older now, and I'll need to take him to leave Tera in a quiet house on a few afternoons so she can get some much-needed sleep.
I'm definitely considering getting the chariot xc ski setup. We have a really nice backpack for the baby, but I would much rather pull than pack. In the future, after the kids are all grown up, I envision using it then as a pulk to get our gear to snow camps and ski camps or ice-fishing or something like that.
Anyway....I love living a 20 minute drive from a great XC ski area. This year I expect to do more XC skiing than backcountry simply because Paul is getting older now, and I'll need to take him to leave Tera in a quiet house on a few afternoons so she can get some much-needed sleep.
I'm definitely considering getting the chariot xc ski setup. We have a really nice backpack for the baby, but I would much rather pull than pack. In the future, after the kids are all grown up, I envision using it then as a pulk to get our gear to snow camps and ski camps or ice-fishing or something like that.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Video of running gait
Tuesday during a nasty storm at lunch I decided to go to the gym and video my running gait while on a treadmill. I've read about people doing this and learning alot, and I've always wanted to do it. When I video'd my swim, I learned alot. I've video'd my bike positions and learned alot. In the video of my running gait below, I'm NOT learning alot becuase I really don't remember what I should be looking at. Everything looks like it remains straight and symmetrical for the most part, other than an occassional swerve because of the strangeness being on a treadmill.
Your comments are welcome because at this point I really don't know what to look for:
Your comments are welcome because at this point I really don't know what to look for:
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
"The Hunted" thoughts and tech notes
During my morning trainer ride this morning, I watched the newest Sufferfest video, "The Hunted." It follows a bit different story line than the others, meaning there is actually a story to this one that follows all the way through the video and makes it really interesting. It is definitely motivating; I found myself picking up the pace and trying to push myself when the goal was to simply do 90 minutes of fairly easy pedaling. This video has some longer intervals, which is what I've been wanting, and the producer makes it interesting and easy to stay interested in the longer intervals. Those longer intervals are followed by some great shorter takes for the last few minutes that will definitely finish you off for the workout if you've been putting in the appropriate effort throughout the workout.
Side note: I've loaded all my Sufferfest videos onto my Droid X, which makes it alot easier to get going in the morning. Starting the video on the phone take about ten seconds, versus several minutes to get going on the laptop. So much easier. The last two videos are about 1.5gb so they take up a fair amount of room relative to everything else on a 16gb card. The older videos are about 700mb each. I use the stock Android movie viewer for most of the videos but it it was unable to play "The Hunted" this morning.....I switch to DoubleTwist, and the video played with no problems.
Side note: I've loaded all my Sufferfest videos onto my Droid X, which makes it alot easier to get going in the morning. Starting the video on the phone take about ten seconds, versus several minutes to get going on the laptop. So much easier. The last two videos are about 1.5gb so they take up a fair amount of room relative to everything else on a 16gb card. The older videos are about 700mb each. I use the stock Android movie viewer for most of the videos but it it was unable to play "The Hunted" this morning.....I switch to DoubleTwist, and the video played with no problems.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sufferfest "The Hunted" available now!
I'm downloading it now, and I'll watch it tomorrow morning. A great deal for $10.99! Go to www.thesufferfest.com.
Here's the rundown of the workout:
The Workout
Where the other 'fest videos have short, nasty and high power intervals, The Hunted is something else all together. Focused on longer, less intense efforts, it gives you a solid threshold workout that still manages to drain you of everything you've got. Here's what happens:
6:30 warm-up: Gradually up the pace, over the intro, footage from a group ride in California, and some pack riding in the Tour de Suisse.
:30 attack: A violent effort to get away from the complacent peloton.
5:00 solo-breakaway tempo riding: You'll ride at effort level 7/10 with Marco Pinotti as he plows through the TT course of the Tour of Romandie.
20:00 climb: Caught by the group, you'll start a long, difficult climb in the group, then in a small breakway and ultimately alone as you ride with Robert Gesink over the queen stage in the Tour de Suisse. Efforts range from 7/10 to 8.5/10.
4:00 downhill: This isn't a time to rest...especially when you're solo trying to hold off the chasers! You wouldn't get to take it easy in a race, so I don't want to hear any whining. You'll take the resistance off but you'll ramp that cadence up to 115+ to train some fast pedaling technique.
5:00 small group: Caught by three other riders, you'll swap off the front in a small breakaway as you hurtle toward the finish line, while the pack looms behind. Effort of 6.5 to 7/10.
5:00 inverse intervals: As you're the sort who goes for the big glory, you'll attempt to attack and shed your breakaway companions. You'll do :50 tempo, then :10 attack, then :40 tempo/:20 attack, :30 tempo/:30 attack, :20 tempo/:40 attack, :10 tempo/:50 attack
?: It wouldn't be the 'fest if there wasn't a small (small) sting in the tail now, would it?
4:00 warm-down
The Music
Yet another solid, hand-picked and agonised over soundtrack of alt-rock and dance music. Here's the amazing collection we've put together for you this time:
Face the Wall - The Watermarks
Silence - Kyven
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - The Swing Movement
Daddy was a Disco Dancer - Pistol Opera
Snow Globe - The Brady Bastards
Beyond the Horizon - George Anthony Tamayo
7th Word - Josh Riptide
Song in My Head - Athenia Henderson
This Feeling - Smooth4Lyfe
One More Chance - Disease
We Love (DJ Vitamin D Remix) - Nique & Sean Biddle
Sunchase - Knut Andresen
Spyplane - Afroskull
In suffering,
David McQuillen
Sufferfest Studios, Singapore
http://www.thesufferfest.com
Here's the rundown of the workout:
The Workout
Where the other 'fest videos have short, nasty and high power intervals, The Hunted is something else all together. Focused on longer, less intense efforts, it gives you a solid threshold workout that still manages to drain you of everything you've got. Here's what happens:
6:30 warm-up: Gradually up the pace, over the intro, footage from a group ride in California, and some pack riding in the Tour de Suisse.
:30 attack: A violent effort to get away from the complacent peloton.
5:00 solo-breakaway tempo riding: You'll ride at effort level 7/10 with Marco Pinotti as he plows through the TT course of the Tour of Romandie.
20:00 climb: Caught by the group, you'll start a long, difficult climb in the group, then in a small breakway and ultimately alone as you ride with Robert Gesink over the queen stage in the Tour de Suisse. Efforts range from 7/10 to 8.5/10.
4:00 downhill: This isn't a time to rest...especially when you're solo trying to hold off the chasers! You wouldn't get to take it easy in a race, so I don't want to hear any whining. You'll take the resistance off but you'll ramp that cadence up to 115+ to train some fast pedaling technique.
5:00 small group: Caught by three other riders, you'll swap off the front in a small breakaway as you hurtle toward the finish line, while the pack looms behind. Effort of 6.5 to 7/10.
5:00 inverse intervals: As you're the sort who goes for the big glory, you'll attempt to attack and shed your breakaway companions. You'll do :50 tempo, then :10 attack, then :40 tempo/:20 attack, :30 tempo/:30 attack, :20 tempo/:40 attack, :10 tempo/:50 attack
?: It wouldn't be the 'fest if there wasn't a small (small) sting in the tail now, would it?
4:00 warm-down
The Music
Yet another solid, hand-picked and agonised over soundtrack of alt-rock and dance music. Here's the amazing collection we've put together for you this time:
Face the Wall - The Watermarks
Silence - Kyven
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - The Swing Movement
Daddy was a Disco Dancer - Pistol Opera
Snow Globe - The Brady Bastards
Beyond the Horizon - George Anthony Tamayo
7th Word - Josh Riptide
Song in My Head - Athenia Henderson
This Feeling - Smooth4Lyfe
One More Chance - Disease
We Love (DJ Vitamin D Remix) - Nique & Sean Biddle
Sunchase - Knut Andresen
Spyplane - Afroskull
In suffering,
David McQuillen
Sufferfest Studios, Singapore
http://www.thesufferfest.com
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sufferfest fun
It seems I'm on a bit of a Sufferfest kick here, but they are really cool videos. I haven't been excited about a "brand" in a looong time, but this stuff is fun. Seriously, the slogan "I'll beat my ass today to kick yours tomorrow" hits me like no other workout saying ever has. The next new video is a TT video, too.....so...really...is that cool or what?
Anyway, here's some fun stuff about Sufferfest:
Anyway, here's some fun stuff about Sufferfest:
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Lunges!`
At my Marine Corps Reserve Drill this weekend, we did lunges during our PT session. We did ALOT of lunges. After a three mile run and returning back to the "grinder," a large asphalt parking lot area used for military parades, we started the lunges. At one end of the grinder, the Commanding Officer lined us up and said, "Lunges, all the way to the other side." Well, the other side was 200 yards away!
The next day everyone was sore. I was incredibly sore right in the glutes that are used for bicycling. Mmmmmmmm......maybe I really do need to do these lunge things more often. I did a Spinnerval video last winter (rented from mypypeline) that had us get off the bike and do lunges.....I was sore for two days after that and told myself I need to do more lunges. Well, I never got to incorporating that.
Now, it seems that my weight lifting routine is only 25 minutes long this year, instead of the 30 minutes that it was last year and all the years before it. That means I have five minutes to fill, and I started filling it with lunges this morning.
The next day everyone was sore. I was incredibly sore right in the glutes that are used for bicycling. Mmmmmmmm......maybe I really do need to do these lunge things more often. I did a Spinnerval video last winter (rented from mypypeline) that had us get off the bike and do lunges.....I was sore for two days after that and told myself I need to do more lunges. Well, I never got to incorporating that.
Now, it seems that my weight lifting routine is only 25 minutes long this year, instead of the 30 minutes that it was last year and all the years before it. That means I have five minutes to fill, and I started filling it with lunges this morning.
Friday, November 5, 2010
I chose to win today.
A while back I wrote a post about "choosing to win." Those are the times when you really don't want to workout but you do it anyway. It's when you put yourself outside of your comfort zone, and therefore also when you stand to gain the most. Sometimes it's simply breaking a pattern or getting out of a rut. Sometimes it's about pushing yourself to new performance levels during a workout. You CHOOSE to make yourself better rather than playing a victim card of some sort and laying down mentally. This is an important point because it keeps you mentally in control of what happens to you.
Today I was really tired at lunch and didn't want to run the regular 10k route. I had several good, valid reasons not to go. I was really tired from adding about 35% volume into the week, and we have an hour of PT scheduled for my USMCR drill on Saturday, so a makeup session is guaranteed. But I grabbed my gear and changed, thinking I would just do three miles. I did all six miles.
The way I see it, this is a double workout. Not only did I not bail, but I did the full-on workout that was scheduled. Instead of being lazy and not burning 800 calories, I burned those 800 calories.....for a total of 1,600 calorie difference in the day. That's the sort of thinking that gets me to do the workouts when I don't want to.
So I chose to win today. I won a mental battle. But more importantly, I won the battle for consistency that will build the foundation for good performances next summer.
Today I was really tired at lunch and didn't want to run the regular 10k route. I had several good, valid reasons not to go. I was really tired from adding about 35% volume into the week, and we have an hour of PT scheduled for my USMCR drill on Saturday, so a makeup session is guaranteed. But I grabbed my gear and changed, thinking I would just do three miles. I did all six miles.
The way I see it, this is a double workout. Not only did I not bail, but I did the full-on workout that was scheduled. Instead of being lazy and not burning 800 calories, I burned those 800 calories.....for a total of 1,600 calorie difference in the day. That's the sort of thinking that gets me to do the workouts when I don't want to.
So I chose to win today. I won a mental battle. But more importantly, I won the battle for consistency that will build the foundation for good performances next summer.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
more Sufferfest info!
I'm downloading "Angels," the newest Sufferfest! video. It's one hour of a warmup, 10 minutes of over/under threshhold, then 3x 8minute climbs with full (and legal!) video of races last year in Europe.
Also, coming up is a time-trail video from Sufferfest! Woohoo! Probably 2x20mins, which will be perfect for me, and perfect for back to back workouts totalling about 90 minutes if you take out the cooldown of the first round and then the warmup of the second round.
I'm a big fan of their slogan "I'll beat my ass today to kick yours tomorrow." What could me more appropriate for motivating yourself to do the early work that builds a great base/foundation months before a race? I'm thinking of gettinng the shirt they sell, and I haven't bought a cheesy slogan shirt like that in more than 20 years!
Also, coming up is a time-trail video from Sufferfest! Woohoo! Probably 2x20mins, which will be perfect for me, and perfect for back to back workouts totalling about 90 minutes if you take out the cooldown of the first round and then the warmup of the second round.
I'm a big fan of their slogan "I'll beat my ass today to kick yours tomorrow." What could me more appropriate for motivating yourself to do the early work that builds a great base/foundation months before a race? I'm thinking of gettinng the shirt they sell, and I haven't bought a cheesy slogan shirt like that in more than 20 years!
Long-range annual planning with weather forecasts
As I ran today at lunch, I wondered how much longer the incredibly beautiful fall weather is going to last. And then I wondered if we would have another long, wet spring in 2011 like we did in 2010.
The answers are available at http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/ Click through the three-month forecasts to get the weather man's best guess!
So how does this affect your annual training plan? Well, if you're like me and basically don't ride your bike outside when it's below 60 degrees, you can start preparing yourself mentally for a long winter indoors. You can also decide that now is the time to build up to a two-hour trainer ride followed by a one hour run that will happen sometime in April.
The answers are available at http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/ Click through the three-month forecasts to get the weather man's best guess!
So how does this affect your annual training plan? Well, if you're like me and basically don't ride your bike outside when it's below 60 degrees, you can start preparing yourself mentally for a long winter indoors. You can also decide that now is the time to build up to a two-hour trainer ride followed by a one hour run that will happen sometime in April.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Supersticious planning?
Today is a Monday that is also the first day of the month. It's not an incredibly rare event, of course, but it's the type of day I like. What better to start a phase of training than on a Monday that is the first of the month? For some reason, I always find it easy to start something new on the Mondays that are the first of the month. It just feels right, and so it's easier to keep it up.
So what did I start today? I finally got my lazy butt out of bed in the morning and got on the bike trainer this morning! Yes, indeed, and it felt great! I followed that up with a quick trip to the gym for my weight lifting routine. I expect to be sore tomorrow from the lifting, so I'm planning to do a 1,000 yard swim just to stretch out a bit and to get a feel for the water again. I also want to swim a bit to help keep my weight down over the winter. At lunch, I ran an easy 5 miles on an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS sunny day! Life is good.
So what did I start today? I finally got my lazy butt out of bed in the morning and got on the bike trainer this morning! Yes, indeed, and it felt great! I followed that up with a quick trip to the gym for my weight lifting routine. I expect to be sore tomorrow from the lifting, so I'm planning to do a 1,000 yard swim just to stretch out a bit and to get a feel for the water again. I also want to swim a bit to help keep my weight down over the winter. At lunch, I ran an easy 5 miles on an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS sunny day! Life is good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Backcountry Views
