Why not use the great winter conditions for a quality alternative training in the snow? The winter landscape lends itself to replacing running training with a suitable alternative training. This can be easily integrated into the training plan and can have a positive effect on performance.
Advantages of alternative training
- Particularly in winter, alternative forms of training can help you get into spring in good shape, in addition to any reduced running training.
- Alternative forms of training bring variety into training.
- Alternative training uses other muscle groups and thus has an additional training effect on the body.
- With alternative training, the weekly training volume can be increased without increasing the risk of injury.
How to implement?
From the training plan, any running workout can be replaced with an alternative workout and the appropriate duration for the alternative sport is given. Here are a few inputs to help with implementation.
Cross-country skiing
Any running training (endurance, long jog, tempo and interval training) can be well replaced with a session on the snow. With this concrete suggestion you can replace a tempo run or interval training:
- 10 minutes run-in
- 10 minutes of technique training – run without poles to optimise gliding phase and footwork
- 3 x 10 minutes at medium intensity – keep the pace steady at the same level
- 10 to 20 minutes run out
Snowshoeing
You can do a long run, a long jog or even a tempo run or interval training with the snowshoes. You can do interval training on a 1:1 basis, for example. Don’t base it on your pace, but on your heart rate and subjective exertion level.
Ski tours
A ski tour is a good alternative to a long run and is also good for your strength endurance. A possible variation: Two to three hours of crescendo – start with an endurance run intensity and increase the pace continuously during the last 30-40 minutes.
And if you don’t like the cold season and the snow, you can always supplement a running workout with a swimming workout or an indoor cycling workout. In the running.COACH training plan you will also find the corresponding conversion for other types of endurance training for each unit.
What alternative sports do you include in your training during the cold season?
Author of blog post: Stefanie Meyer