Cross-training is important year-round for runners; however, it seems to be on the minds of runners a little more during winter months if you live in a cold climate. Maybe it is because there are fewer races to train for, maybe it?s the cold, or maybe you just want to change things up a bit. Whatever the reason there are tons of great options to explore to help supplement and benefit your running.
Snow sports:
Alpine Touring
Honestly, anything you are doing that involves being active is awesome. However, we live in Utah and we also have so many other cool winter cross-training opportunities that most don?t have. You won?t find a better hill workout than skinning up a mountain on Alpine Touring skis, telemark skis, or a Splitboard.
If those last four terms sounded like a foreign language here is a little more info:
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Skins:
A strip of nylon or mohair material, that fit to and adheres to the bottom of skis or a splitboard. Skins allow you to literally walk uphill in snow with your skis on.
Alpine Touring skis:
A type of ski set-up with specific bindings and boots. The heel of the binding can be released while climbing up the mountain and then can be locked back down for decent, just like a traditional alpine ski.
Telemark skis:
Have you ever been out on the mountain and seen someone drop his or her knee to the ground to make a turn? Well that is telemarking. The binding and never locks the heel down.
Splitboard:
A snowboard that splits into two pieces like skis to climb up and then you can put it back together to make a snowboard for your decent.
There are several local races that take place in the Salt Lake area specifically for ski racing; one in particular is the Wasatch Powder Keg (website link). Although there is a lot more gear (translate to money) involved in this sport than running, it offers something fun and different during the winter months.
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?Benefits:
- Altitude training;?the air gets thinner as you hike up higher and makes your body work harder to pump oxygen to your muscles.
- You get a hard-core hamstring and quad workout;?skinning up mountains engages your hamstrings (a muscle group that is often forgotten about). The downhill aspect requires quad strength to make turns; the inner quadriceps benefits most from this engagement.
- Touring allows you to access some of your favorite trails and see them in a different and unique way!
With backcountry travel there is risk involved. Making sure you have avalanche and snow knowledge is very important. Here is a helpful website to learn about snow conditions and also can point you in the right direction of avalanche courses: www.utahavalanchecenter.com
Some helpful links: www.splitboardeducationcompany.com, www.utahmountainadventures.com
Cross-Country Skiing:
For those that prefer more of a linear plane, cross-country skiing is a great work out and Utah offers many areas specifically for cross-country skiers. The gear is also a little less expensive than a downhill set-up and you run a much lower risk of avalanche danger.
Benefits:
- Builds endurance! ?It is about grinding it out over the long haul with no help from gravity,? says Stephen Olvey, MD, and associate professor at the University of Miami.
- ?Cross-country skiing engages quadriceps, glutes, calves, hamstrings, biceps, and triceps. Making this an overall body workout.
- You burn?more calories than other snowsports. For example, a 150-pound person would burn 500-640 calories depending on effort level.
For more information: www.utahnordic.com
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Snowshoeing:
There are now many snowshoes on the market that are engineered to be sleeker and offer an experience geared to run. It is a great way to get out and experience the trails during winter with minimal financial investment.
Benefits:
- Cardio similar to running
- Less gear to buy
- Access to trails
Cycling
Utah is also a huge cycling state. I love to ride my bike, when the weather is nice. When the temps start to drop and snow accumulates on the sides of roads I tend to retire my bike to my indoor trainer or hit up my gym for a spin class. Last winter I forced myself to get on my trainer twice a week, every week, and I ran my fastest trail half marathon that spring. I don?t think it was a coincidence. If you already own a bike, and have room, a trainer is a great option for at-home workouts. If you don?t have a bike or just like the atmosphere of the gym and an intense class led by an instructor than a spin class might be something that would interest you. Most gyms and recreation centers offer spin classes. (Picture of Cyclops trainer)
Benefits:
- Development of power muscles: Quads, Glutes, and Calves
- Reduces impact, thus, reducing stress on joints and lessening chances of impact related injury
- Shifting gears allows you the ability to go up or down in intensity during a workout
- Great form of ?active recovery?
- Increases leg turnover
So get out there and remember the challenge to yourself?.R-U-N?
Source: http://www.r-u-nevents.com/2012/11/winter-cross-training-part-i-snow-sports-and-cycling/
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