Posted on March 09, 2016 by Kate Halsall
Did you wake up last Friday morning and think “Yep – I’m not going out in that”? I’m sure you won’t have been alone! I asked one of my clients how he motivates himself to go outside for his morning jog/walk when the weather is like this – he simply replied “I don’t even think about it, I put an extra layer on, if it’s snowing I avoid footpaths and just go!”
Training in the cold, snow or rain can seem like a chore and require you to dig a little deeper in the self motivation stores. But it shouldn’t be a reason to stop. Here are some top tips about how to train in the cold and help you keep working towards your goals despite the weather!
- Don’t Over Think It
Like my client does, you just need to get up and go. The more you look at it and think its too cold, too wet, too slippy; the more you’re talking yourself out of going. You don’t see kids complaining about any of these things when they wake up and see snow – they just want to get out there and build a snowman (and that’s not just restricted to kids!).
- Get a Grip
We’re referring to your shoes of course! There’s no point wearing normal indoor gym shoes if you’re about to go running in the snow or ice. Make sure you wear something with good grips.
- Dress Appropriately
Baselayers and layers in general need to become your friends. Some websites advise wearing thicker long socks to support your ankles and ankle tendons. Ensure you keep your head and hands warm. Layers can always be discarded as you run or workout if you get too warm.
- Warm Up Inside
Get your muscles warm and your heart rate up before you head out. Run up and down your stairs , do some dynamic range of movement warm ups (arm and leg swings, lunges etc) and so on.
- Be Flexible with your Training
Accept that if the snow is bad you may need to opt for shorter routes, slower intervals, or head indoors to the treadmill for your longer run.
- The 10 Minute Rule
After 10 minutes you will be nicely warmed up and be glad you made the effort to get outside and exercise.
- Remember Why You’re Doing It
You train outside for a reason – the love of the great outdoors, a particular goal you’re working towards or because it’s convenient. Hold on to that to keep you motivated.
And there you have it – all you need to do is believe that you’re 10 again, layer up and run outside to embrace the snow ball fights, sledging and snowman building possibilities which are your rewards once you’ve been for your training session! Hopefully these tips will help to get you out there when the weather is a little more than what we expect British weather to be!