It’s winter time and that means short days with less sunlight, suspect footing with snow, leaves, and ice covering the path, and unexpected storms that can ruin best laid plans for executing your training. Here in Chicago and throughout the midwest we got hit hard this past week with over a foot of snow spread out over almost an entire week. The temperatures dropped and are expected to stay low just as many athletes were just getting into a solid off-season running routine.
The good news is, you don’t need to give up, you just need to prepare. Here are just a few ideas for maintaining consistency over the potentially bitter and inclement weeks and months ahead.
1. Lay out your gear the night before. This is an absolute necessity for athletes in winter. If you tend to run early, that can mean 1-3 hours of running in the dark. It also means getting prepped to run in the dark, creeping around the house trying not to wake family members. If you know you need to run after work or after bed time, having items ready before you leave for work makes that motivation come easier as well.
Laying out items for a cold, dimly lit effort may include tights, merino wool socks, a good weather-proof shell, a good hat, and headlamp or other LED lights, and a great pair of gloves.
2. Pack nutrition and hydration. As the temperatures drop, it’s easy to neglect these essential training components. But you may actually need to up your caloric intake to meet the demands of running the cold. And while you may not have the sweat rate you experience in summer training, you do need to replace fluid loss even on the coldest of days.
A couple of considerations: Most municipalities turn off drinking fountains and may lock public restrooms for the winter, so planning ahead becomes key. Additionally, water bottles and liquid nutrition may freeze with winter temps, so consider an insulated option for carrying your gear. Or slide that handheld water bottle inside a pocket.
3. Phone a friend or find a group. Having an accountability partner or running group can be a great way to keep your honest and motivated on cold mornings or evenings. Is there a running store near you with a Tuesday night run club? In Chicago, we have run crews that meet in every corner of the city.
The Boundless Arizona Run Camp is a great excuse to get in shape this winter. Having a group to run alongside you, coach you, and encourage you in late February might be just the thing you need to reach your running goals for the New Year.
4. Invest in your home gym. Winter is the perfect time to build strength. If strength training is not already a part of your regimen, consider incorporating it. Perhaps it’s also time to buy that new squat rack, pull up bar, or adjustable dumbbell system you’ve been eyeing.
A Boundless coach would love to consult with you on making strength training a part of your fitness goals.
5. Hit the treadmill. A wise athlete knows when the conditions will not allow for safe training outdoors. Ice, packed snow, or dangerous temperatures may not only make outdoor training difficult, they could end up costing you weeks of training down the road. Know when to take the workout indoors, recognizing that there are so many great benefits to training on a treadmill or other stationary cardio equipment.
We would love for you to join us at our 5th annual year of Arizona Run Camp, where the weather is 80 degrees and there's no snow in sight! We have an incredible community of athletes that come each year and we would love for you to be a part of our crew in 2026. Come run desert trails with our coaches, relax by the pool, learn from our educational seminars and workshops, and reset your training in late February when winter hits the hardest! Join us here ⛏
By Coach Ben Dicke – Fill out a Training Application today to start working with Coach Ben!