Tips for surviving these next 10 days!

Without a doubt we are dealing with the harshest conditions of the winter so far. It's really important that you are being smart this week & using your best judgment when it comes to running outside. I am including some answers to questions I have gotten these last few days below. I hope this helps as you navigate your training this week. Remember, black ice is dangerous & never worth the risk! It's okay to be safer than sorry this week. Mark, what am I supposed to do about my weekend runs? I don't have access to a gym/treadmill & the temps will be in the negatives!  "If you don't have access to a treadmill, do your best to run at the warmest part of the day. Both days will have highs in the teens which is doable for training if dressed appropriately. If you have a long run and can't move it to Thursday or Friday, then, run what you can when you're out there. Layer up & avoid running outside when it's under 0 degrees if you don't feel safe. I have run in -4 & -6 for 80-90 minutes & with the right amount of layers I was okay. I just had to adjust pace. With that said, it's all about your comfort level & there is no shame in choosing the safer option." Mark, there is snow on the ground & I have a workout scheduled! What do I do? "Welcome to winter! Look up the Hanson's Running Project. Their athletes train in these types of conditions in Michigan and they hardly ever bag a workout. What they do is modify their pace & expectations. If you are uncomfortable doing speed with snow on the ground, you are welcome to move your workout to another day. Just consult with me or your coach before doing so. Try to run places like parks where you will not be running into traffic. Focus on effort over pace. If you have 6 reps, number 5 might feel like what 6 would on a perfect day. Use caution & don't over do it. Effort is what matters most & no matter what your Garmin says, you will be faster for it!" Mark, I am not afraid to run in the cold weather, I just don't know what to wear. Any suggestions? "Yes! I love training in the winter but I hate how long it takes to get ready! The best piece of advice I can give anyone is to layer up. For temps under 10 degrees, I start to add some additional layers in there. My wardrobe on a morning that's -4 to 6 degrees will be running tights, shorts, pants, long ski socks, long sleeve shirt, quarter zip long sleeve, light or heavy hoody, outer jacket, buff around my neck, hat, and mittens with cotton gloves in there too. If you have access to hand warmers, I run with those too. Pick a route that's short and close to your car so you can be close to home if you are too cold or if you need to shed a layer. Never trust the first 10 minutes. You may feel overheated but when your sweat cools you will be really cold if you ditch your layers too early." Is it okay to run on the treadmill? Will it hurt my running? "Yes it's okay and no it won't hurt your running! Running on the treadmill is just fine. Just a few things to remember. The treadmill is going to change your form naturally. So do your best to stay upright, keep your arms ninety degrees, and focus on not trying to run too far in front of the treadmill. Ideally you want to be running closer to the middle of the treadmill. I always struggle with this because I am afraid I am going to fall off! Just be careful there and make sure you have the incline up to 1.0-1.5. If you are doing a long run on the treadmill, give yourself breaks every 45-60 minutes to make sure your back and body doesn't lock up." *Spewak Training is currently taking on new athletes. If you are interested in learning more about our team and services, please contact us mark@spewaktraining.com*