Training in the winter often means going indoors or trudging through snow. But now it’s springtime and the snow is starting to melt away from most of the country. It’s time to come out of winter hibernation, get back on track, prepare for the race season and tune up for summer!
When getting back outside for the first couple runs of the season, be sure to start slow. Trails are often muddy and could still have some snow and ice on them. Watch your step and ease back into the rhythm of running outside again. Layers are your friend this time of year. Temperatures tend to fluctuate rapidly, and an early morning run can find you head-to-toe covered and only a short time later have you in shorts and a T-shirt. For those in the desert and southern states, it may be better to run earlier in the morning to beat the midday heat. Headlamps and reflective clothing are a must when running in the dark.
If you fell off track in your training this winter, here is a quick workout from my new book Obstacle Race Training to get you ready to jump back into the swing of things this spring.
Trail Run Fun
Find your favorite trail and plan a 20- to 45-minute route.
Every 10 minutes, stop running, turn the timer off. Complete:
10 sit-ups
10 push-ups
10 burpees (for an extra workout)
When you finish the exercises, get back up and start the timer again and continue running. You may find yourself doing exercises in strange places on the trail, but that is part of the fun of this workout. The goal is to get you back outside, moving around and enjoying the spring weather. It is one of the basic workouts for obstacle racing and needs no equipment other than you and a trail.
That’s the dirt for this week. Next week,w e look into more ways for you to train for the upcoming summer race season. Until then, you can pre-order a copy of my upcoming book Obstacle Race Training: How to Beat any Course, Compete like a Champion, and Change Your Life, which was released April 15.
