Running Through Winter
Have you always wanted to run in the Melbourne Marathon Festival or just hoping to smash your running PB this coming sunny season? If that is the case, did you know that winter is actually one of the most important times to maximise your running potential?
Now it's pretty safe to say that winter isn’t everyone's favourite time of year to exercise. It's often either cold, dark or wet when you want to head out for a run. But unfortunately, improvements don't happen overnight so if you want to be at your best over summer when the weather is great, you have to start putting in the effort now. That's because our bodies have a small tolerance of improvements that take time to develop and condition. If we go over that point it typically results in overuse injuries.
One way of looking at training loads when aiming for safe improvements of exercise levels is a term called progressive overload. This refers to the slow increase in stress placed on your body over a gradual time period. This can refer to lots of different aspects of exercise such as the amount of weight you deadlift in the gym, the number of laps you swim in the pool or even the time spent on your walks each day. But when looking at running specific progressive overload we tend to focus on 3 main areas:
the Kms run in a given session or week
the time spent running per run or week
the pace at which you are running at.
When structuring progressive overload into your training, it is important to factor in the whole picture and look at variables such as training history, previous injuries, strength training, diet, stress levels and most importantly the individual goal. Because of all these factors, it is important that each individual should have a program tailored to their requirements. We recommend consulting with your healthcare provider whenever you are looking to try a new sport, reach a new PB or even return to exercise post COVID. This way you will reduce your chances of letting injuries get in the way of your success.
Staying Motivated
So after telling you how hard it is to stay active during winter, let's chat about how you can keep lacing up those shoes and getting out there in the cold.
One of the main things that I find works best for me is setting goals to strive for on a continual basis. Often it's simple ones that I can stick to and keep progressing with as I go. Some examples of these are aiming to run 3 times a week, 15km a week, or even something more achievable such as being active for 150 minutes a week or taking 10,000 steps a day. It doesn’t matter how small or large a goal is, you can still get the sense of achievement from maintaining it and progressing to grander things along the way.
Other people find that they need something big and scary to motivate them to exercise. The shock factor of booking in a running event in a few months time or telling a friend you will beat their Strava PB around the local circuit can often give the drive needed to get out for those extra sessions.
Running with friends is another great way to stay active during winter. It’s especially great for those that find they need to exercise in classes or groups to keep motivated. It can also be lots of fun too! Use it as a chance to have your regular chin wag while pounding the pavement and why not grab a coffee afterwards too. Go on, treat yourself, you’ve earned it.
If all your friends are hibernating through the colder months, another option is to check out your local Parkrun. For those of you that aren’t familiar with them, they are volunteer driven 5km events held every Saturday. And with loads of great track locations in our local area, Parkrun is a great opportunity to get in a regular run and meet some potential new running buddies while you are at it. You can take it at your own pace and the best bit is that it’s timed! So you can track your progress and keep motivated to reach that next goal.
Lastly, another great tool to try when running by yourself is a structured training program. One example of this is Couch to 5k, a great free tool for beginner to intermediate runners as it can take you from no running load to being able to complete 5km in 9 weeks. My only suggestion is to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program to check if it is right for you. But as a whole, these types of programs are a good way to stay motivated to a goal and have been proven to reduce the likelihood of injury in novice runners. Why not try it for yourself?
I hope this has helped inspire some new goals this Winter! If you have any questions or would like to chat about your running workload, come in and see us at The Osteopaths of Collingwood.
