How to get through winter training (without losing your mind)

Alright let’s get this out of the way - I live in South Carolina. I have nothing to complain about here.

In fact, just to make me gloat even harder: reply real quick and tell me what arctic conditions you’ve been training in.

But back in the day, I did most of my elite level training in Blacksburg, Virginia. If you’re not familiar, it’s the home of Virginia Tech, right in the New River Valley.

Look, it ain’t New Hampshire. But it gets mighty cold. And windy - that’s the worst part, the wind, ruiner of any sort of fast workouts.

So I’ve trained in some rough winter conditions. I’ve done long runs on snow and ice. I’ve plowed lane 1 of tracks to do speed workouts. I even slipped on black ice riding my bike and had to get stitches for the gash in my shin (and I raced that very evening!).

Here are 7 tips to get through the rest of your winter training:

1 - Embrace the suck

There’s no sugarcoating it. Heading out the door on an 8 mile run when it’s 19 degrees with a 5F windchill sucks.

Your first step is to embrace that suck.

Many of you are running spring marathons or summer 5k’s. I’ll tell you now - the people crushing PR’s at those races are training their assess off right now.

Just the way it is.

Look, I don’t want you to be miserable. I don’t think training has to be Rocky Balboa style, punching meat carcasses and slogging raw eggs.

But winter training is where we dip our toes into that sort of grit. 

Embrace it!

2 - Warm up inside

Here’s a quick actionable tip to make your winter runs a bit more enjoyable.

Do a short warmup inside before your run.

No, don’t go prance around your living room. This doesn’t involve any actual running.

But do some squats and lunges. Do some jumping jacks. Even better - get a jump rope and do it for 2-4 minutes. 

Get your heart rate up. This will warm you up - like literally warm you up. You might even shed some of the unnecessary clothing you’d regret wearing 20 minutes into the run anyway.

It’ll ease that feeling when you first walk out into the cold and you’re oh so tempted to turn right back around and hop on the couch.

3 - Modify, don’t skip

If you get any consistent level of snow or bitter cold temps, you’ll probably need to alter your workouts here and there.

That’s OK! 

With my athletes, if they get their winter mileage in - even if we miss workouts and it’s mostly easy running - I consider it a huge win.

Something is almost always better than nothing. 

So maybe the roads are icy and your threshold session is out the door. No problem. Find the safest route you can and run EASY!

Funny enough, slogging through the snow will give you a solid strength workout!

Or perhaps you can do your workout but it’s insanely windy. Cool - run it effort-based instead (which is better anyway).

If you have 5 x 6 minutes LT1 (aerobic threshold), and you usually do it around 8:00/mile pace - make it 8:30 today. Or 8:45. Whatever it takes to hit that same effort in the conditions.

And if all else fails …

4 - Tolerate the Treadmill

Back when I was buying a treadmill, I asked my Instagram followers for recommendations.

A guy messaged me (and I quote): “stop being a pussy and run outside.”

That gave me a good laugh. My man, i’ve done a 15 mile run in 0F feels like -19F. I know how to embrace that suck.

But alas, I have very young kids, and sometimes it’s not feasible to leave the house.

Anyway …

Learn to tolerate the treadmill. If you use it right, it’s a tremendous tool (like the dude above) for your winter training.

Believe me, I used to *hate* the treadmill. Couldn’t stand it. 20 minutes on the treadmill felt like 2 hours outside.

But now, perhaps because I kinda have to … I’m used to it. 

I just did an hour easy this morning with no headphones! No music, no podcast, no nothing. Just me and my thoughts.

Learn to tolerate it. It’s a marvelous invention and it’ll transform your winter training if you use it right.

5 - Accountability

We’re social creatures. And peer pressure works wonders.

Get yourself an accountability system.

This could be as simple as a friend you text every morning. “Run done!” and he/she texts the same right back.

You become each other’s accountability system. You’ll know your friend is expecting that text. 

Or a training group - online or local. Not one of those mega Facebook groups with a bunch of people promoting goofy stuff.

I’m thinking of starting one of these by the way. Not a goofy one, a good one :)

Or go all the way and get yourself a coach. 

Whatever it is, knowing that someone is expecting you to run makes a massive difference. I consider myself a hugely self-motivated person and even I know I need some accountability here and there.

6 - After your run, skip the ice bath and get a hot shower

I know #1 says to embrace the suck.

And I guess if you really want to toughen up, you can jump in a freezing cold ice bath or cold plunge after you’re already frigid from your run.

Actually, don’t do that. It’s dumb.

Get yourself a hot shower right away. Don’t let your body temp stay low too long - makes you more susceptible to illness (and just feels terrible).

Then get a warm meal. 

Notice the trend? WARM UP!

7 - You’re getting that mental edge - know it!

Even if you have a treadmill, you should get out and rough it in the cold on some runs.

You only get tougher by doing things that make you uncomortable.

Yes, just plain getting up and doing a run every morning is a lot more than most people. No doubt.

But when it’s bitter cold at 5am and no amount of clothing will stop the wind from biting your face off?

The weak can’t handle that. They wither.

Not you. Get out there, get tough, and make it happen no matter what.

—

Alright that’s it. I’m gonna go back to my cozy South Carolina weather :)

See you next Tuesday,

Michael