Sticking with workouts even in the cold
[projekktor id=’10788′]
Weather conditions over the last couple of days haven’t inspired much outdoor activity, especially for anyone who made a resolution to run in 2014. If your sites are set on Burlington’s chilly half marathon or Hamilton’s Around the Bay, don’t be discouraged by the slick roads and frigid temperatures. Just give your training schedule a little tweak.
If this is the dream, don’t let it fizzle. Burning up the pavement just takes a little more strategy when it’s coated and slick.
Greg Pace is with Pace Performance: “The last thing you want to do in an effort to get healthy and get fit, to fall down and break something or twist something so you can’t do anything.”
Burlington’s Greg Pace is a certified triathlon coach and fitness consultant. He says training schedules can always accommodate unexpected conditions: “If your long run was supposed to happen in the next day or 2, you could just put that off until the weekend because it’s going to be three degrees. As long as you have a good look at what the weather conditions are going to be over the next 4 or 5 days, then you can alter your program to make it work.”
Getting yourself road ready during minus 19 degree temperatures isn’t easy, and can hinder your performance.
“Especially people with any kind of asthma or exercise induced asthma. But the reality is for most people it’s pretty tough. Your breathing will be extremely laboured.”
Pace says you can switch out the road work for any cardio boosting activity: “If you want to stress your heart and lungs it can be anything that gets your heart rate up consistently. I really push things like treadmill running is fine, but if you need something different rowing is terrific. A lot of the fitness classes out there, the zumba classes all those things are great exercises.”
But if you’re determined to have the outdoor experience, do some planning. Starting with your attire. Opt for quality footwear. Dress in layers, leaving little exposed skin. And give serious thought to your route.
“Make sure that the route they pick is you know maybe a kilometre route around their house that they do 5, 7, 10 whatever their number time is, because the last thing you want to do is turn your ankle when you’re 6 km away from your house.”
Most importantly, don’t let a cold snap derail your focus, but don’t be afraid to adapt.
“Don’t be so obsessive. It’s a run. One run. If we think that the run their going to miss on Tuesday or Wednesday is going to impact their race at the end of March, probably not. So sometimes your best bet is take a day off.”
Burlington’s chilly half marathon is set for March 2nd. and Hamilton’s Around the Bay road race is March 30th.
