Training for Spring Races During the Winter Months

Spring is a very popular time for racing, especially up in the north, where races all but disappear during the cold and snowy winter months. After a long winter of very few formal running events, spring races are a great way to stay motivated over the winter months. 

The one issue with winter running, though, is running in the winter. Lack of motivation, ice, snow, cold, and lack of trails can all make it hard to stay motivated and stick to a training plan.

So, how do you keep motivated when the days are short, the nights are cold, and all your favorite trails are buried under snow and ice? Here are a few valuable tips for keeping your motivation up as the temperature drops. 

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is a great way to eliminate many excuses for not getting out for a winter run. I can’t find my gloves, it’s too cold, it's too dark already; the list goes on and on. If you have your running gear all laid out and your route already picked, it is much easier to get out the door, no matter the weather.  

When the weather is at its worst, being unprepared can be the difference between getting your run in and staying home watching Desperate Housewives reruns. 

Invest in Good Quality Running Gear

When it comes to winter running, having good quality gear can make all the difference in the world. Going out into the cold when you have less-than-optimal gear can be pretty challenging, especially as the temperature gets colder and colder.

Learning to layer is a skill that takes some trial and error. Keeping track of what you wore and whether it worked is a great way to learn how to layer fairly quickly.

A proper outer layer can make all the difference, especially when the cold winter winds are at their worst. It doesn’t matter how many layers you have on; if the cold wind goes right through your outer layer, you’ll probably end up cold at some point during your run. 

Proper accessories can make a huge difference, too. Having gloves that actually keep your hands warm when the weather is at its worst is a game-changer. 

Get Reflective Gear

It gets dark really early in the Northern Hemisphere, so being visible, especially to cars, is extremely important. Reflective running gear is a great idea, but remember that if your jacket is your reflective layer and you need to take it off because you’re overdressed, you won’t be nearly as visible anymore.

Buy Some Winter Shoes

Who doesn’t love an excuse to buy new shoes, right? Well, winter running is a great reason to pick up a new pair of shoes.

Winter shoes are often waterproof and usually have much more aggressive tread patterns than regular running shoes. Some even have studs in them (similar to studded car tires) so that you get the maximum grip on slippery surfaces. Slipping on some ice and ending up injured doesn’t help you prepare for spring races, so shoes aren’t the place to skimp out.

If you can’t afford to buy shoes just for winter, or if you are traveling somewhere for a short time where there may be snow, cheaper options also work. Slip-on accessories such as Yak Trax are great, but my favorite is studding my own shoes. 

I buy ⅜” sheet metal screws, and I stud every pair of shoes that I run in during the winter months. This allows me to wear whatever type of shoes I want instead of sticking to trail shoes all winter (even on sidewalks and roads) like I used to do every winter. The most important thing is to put them where the contact points of your feet are, but also not in places where you’ll feel them through the soles of your shoes.

“Embrace the Suck”

I used to absolutely hate running in the cold, with a capital “H.” In fact, I used to “retire” from running every winter and restart in the spring once the cold was gone. That eventually changed to running all winter but on a treadmill, either at the gym or in my basement.

Eventually, though, I wanted to stop running on the treadmill. They are a great exercise tool, but I was running on mine to the point that it was beginning to affect my form, so I got rid of it and forced myself outside. The first winter I ran outside was brutal. I knew nothing about layering for outdoor running and even less about how to run safely in the winter.

By the second winter that I ran outside, I had a run streak going, meaning I was outside every day, no matter how cold it was. Or snowy. Or Windy. Or all of the above; I was outside, “embracing the suck,” as I called it at the time. 

I don’t refer to it as that anymore because now I truly enjoy winter running, even when it is bitterly cold. It makes you a much stronger runner to be outside, no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.

Embrace the Added Challenge

There are lots of added challenges when it comes to winter running. Slippery surfaces, deep snow, wind and blowing snow, or all above at once. Running in the winter adds a lot of extra challenges.

This can often make speedwork difficult or even impossible, depending on how bad the weather is. Even slow runs can be challenging when traction is at a premium, so rather than seeing it as a negative, I take it as an opportunity to add some extra resistance to a workout. 

Don’t Judge a Run Too Soon

Getting out in the cold weather can feel miserable at first, but have you ever noticed that after a while, you don’t notice it anymore? You get used to it after a while, and it becomes another minor detail of your run. 

If you judge your run in the first few minutes, almost every run will feel like it isn’t a good one. Next time you start a run that doesn’t feel good, note how good it feels when you’re finished. I can almost guarantee it will feel much better if you keep going. 

Don’t Expect to Be “Summer Fast”

By “summer fast,” I mean being able to run in perfect conditions. In the winter, some days, you just have to be happy with getting a run done, no matter your pace. That is winter running in the north, in a nutshell.

Winter isn’t necessarily the time to worry about hitting speed milestones; it’s more about building endurance and strength for warmer weather. This ensures you’ll be in your best shape heading into the racing season when winter gives way to spring.

Choose Races You Know You Can Prepare For

If you are eyeing a spring race with 20,000 feet of climbing and have access to hilly trails in the winter, you probably won’t have any issues being ready. But what if you live in a flat area or a hilly area where the trails are buried under feet of snow all winter long? 

If you are prepared to get creative, there are ways to overcome these obstacles and be ready, but many runners will just find a race later in the year that still attracts them. This isn’t always possible if there is a specific race that you want to run. 

If waiting isn’t an option, there are a few options. What most runners will do (myself included) is find one or two good hills in their area and continuously do hill workouts on them. If that isn’t an option, a nice long set of stairs can also work, and if none of those are possible, a treadmill with a good incline can do in a pinch. Remember that with treadmill hill training, you aren’t getting any downhill running that comes with climbing up and down an actual hill. 

If you are willing to get creative and put in the repetitions, there are ways to prepare for hilly spring races during the winter months. 

Treat Yourself to a Race

An excellent tool for keeping your motivation up through the winter months is to sign up for a spring race, especially if you usually have a problem staying motivated to run during the winter months. The fear of showing up for a race undertrained and unprepared is often enough of a push to get even the most unmotivated runners out the door during the winter. 

Running in the winter can be pretty tricky, but none are without workarounds. It just takes some perseverance, dedication, and ingenuity to overcome them and become a stronger runner, mentally and physically. 

Pivot on the Fly

Even runners with workout schedules set in stone will need to pivot occasionally. Sometimes, the weather just doesn’t cooperate, and there is no way you can do intervals with 4” of fresh powder on the ground. Sometimes, the only choice is to pivot quickly and reschedule the fast running for a day with better running conditions.

Trying to push through the poor conditions can result in slipping and falling, which can lead to any number of injuries. 

Rethink Your Routes

Every runner has their favorite routes, but they may not all be runnable during the winter. Some may technically still be “runnable,” but with conditions being less than ideal, it may be better to avoid them until the warmer weather returns.

Winter is an excellent opportunity to explore places you don’t usually run during the nicer months. This is particularly true if you live somewhere that clears the sidewalks all winter because it guarantees that (most days) you’ll have clear, ice-free surfaces to run on and new neighborhoods to explore. 

Leave the Tech at Home

Since pace doesn’t really matter, winter is a great time to leave the tech at home and go out for an old-style run with no watch or tracking. It can make quite a difference mentally just to know that nothing is being tracked or recorded and that is simply a run just to run. Just go out and enjoy putting one foot in front of the other. 

Winter running doesn’t have to suck, nor do spring races have to be raced in less-than-perfect physical conditioning. All it takes is some planning, some extra layers, and a little bit of extra toughness, and anyone can begin to enjoy winter running. Don’t hide from the cold weather and harsh running conditions; embrace them and get out into the cold