Winter Rules

I am home from Utah , and we had a great trip. We visited lots of family and friends, and we were very ready to get home to our own beds. Thanks to Franny and Nikki for putting us up for the nights we were in your town. I was able to log 26 miles while in Utah. I was pretty happy with my numbers, considering I was not sleeping in my bed and eating all kinds of crap. While running my long run on Friday, I had a Mule deer buck and Doe jump out in front of me, it scared me at first and then I just stood there and watched them run away. I was reading in the Dec issue of Runner's World, on page 34 it has an article on "Winter Rules, How to stick with training when it gets dark and chilly". I hate running in the winter. There are fewer daylight hours and it is cold and windy and wet. I run alone so it gets hard to push through and get up and run the miles I need. I have found that if I register for an Early Spring Marathon it will get me out the door and pounding out the miles. (I have registered for a Feb Marathon, how's that for early Spring?) I usually run on the treadmill during the week and hit the road on Sat for my long run.

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MAP IT

Scout out well-lit, traffic-free routes near your home, office, and kids' activities. Find two or three alternatives near each place so that you have options for different conditions-and a little variety. Find a few indoor options, too. Many health clubs offer winter memberships, and some malls and arenas open their doors to runners after hours.

DO IT MIDDAY

If you can't find safe options for running in the dark, go out at lunch. At first you might feel sluggish exercising midday, but after two or three runs, you'll feel better. The break from your desk will leave you feeling refreshed and energized. Make sure to have a light snack one to two hours before your run.

HIT A HILL

Hills build leg and lung power. Find a moderately steep rise, or set the treadmill at a two- to four-percent incline. After a warm up, run up the hill for five to 10 seconds, then walk downhill. Next, run for 10 to 12 seconds, picking up the pace slightly, and take a one-minute walk break. For the last segment, run for 10 to 20 seconds. On each workout, add 15 to 30 seconds of running and a one-minute walk break. Be sure to cool down.

PICK IT UP

Speed work can help you make the most out of your limited time. After a warm up, run for 20 seconds at a pace that's slightly faster than usual, then walk for 40 seconds. Do this twice more, picking up your pace slightly each workout.