Something that’s been bouncing aorund in my head for a bit is “how should I train during the winter months?”. Last winter I biked outside if it was above 5 degrees or so … up to a 2-hour ride. I ran outside most of the time, and I swam in the same ol’ pool as I normally do.
My concern is this … by the time the temperature and early darkness limit long rides/runs, I will likely have built up to a 2K swim, 75-80mi ride, and 12-15mi run as my long workouts of the week. How do I train in the winter with the purpose being “to lose as little fitness as possible”?
I’ll have from March (usually pretty nice weather) till September to get my training distances up to IM-ready.
For next season I plan on doing the same type of outdoor training as you describe. PLUS
Get the swimming even longer. I have found winter to be a great time to build huge swimming base. Swim as much as you can, as many times a week as you can. IF you do, you can coast through the summer with just a couple pool and maybe one open water training efforts per week and loose nothing.
Add weights, yoga, cardio classes to your winter training plans as additive training sessions. Will give you some strenght and flexability and not cause you to go mad trying to fit one more swim/bike/run training indoors into your schedule.
Winter is a great time to improve your swimming. Invest more miles on the pool and leave the bike and the running shoes at home. Don’t be worried about your fitness on the bike/run, it will come back and you will be still keeping your endurance at a good level with all the swimming.
Winters in my country aren’t that tough. Doesn’t snow and tempeture doesn’t go bellow zero but still I don’t go often to the road.
Do your long bike rides and runs on a good day or a not-too-bad day. Wait till it comes and go for it. If the weather doesn’t get any better just go for some long swims
Yoga and gym-work are also great in winter. I’ve just found out that my gym has Pilates class also. I’ll try to go there every once in a while.
For me this winter, mainly indoor cycling with powercranks (oh no, I started another PC thread!!!). I hate indoor cycling, but it should add a challenge with the PC’s.
Some XC skiing in the mix too, to make up for bike volume and its lack thereof.
Swap some intensity for volume on the bike. An indoor trainer is the perfect instrument for hard intervals. Keep outside running as normal. I don’t mind running in the dark and snow (we get a lot of both).
I swim less in the winter. I’m lucky enough to be able to swim open water exclusively from May to October. I don’t like pool swimming much. BORING and TEDIOUS. If I can get in 3 2-3K swims a week it’s enough.
