Christmas Stars
by Joel Fiel

I frequently talk with athletes who in November and December are doing intervals, hill repeats, hard group sessions. By late December and January, they're flying. But by June they're fried and ready for a break-until next fall, of course. I call these athletes "Christmas stars." Some of these Christmas stars seem to have the potential to race well in the bigger races at the end of the season, but we'll never know because they don't make it that far. The problem is that they are just too eager-too eager to start doing the hard training. They've got their periodization all wrong.

Periodization

It only takes about 12 weeks or so to fully build anaerobic fitness. So the intervals and other hard stuff need not start until about three months before the first A-priority race of the season. Getting into the heavy breathing too soon with too much volume means that one must try to maintain week after painful week. That's hard, if not impossible, to do for an entire race season. About the only way to do this is to take a long break from training in the spring and then start over again. Most aren't willing to do that.

The solution, of course, is to spend time in the winter developing base fitness with long workouts, steady hill work, skills development, and weights. Cross-training is also a good option. Aerobic exercise of any type will improve cardiovascular fitness. As the fitness of the heart, blood vessels, blood, and lungs improve, so does endurance. And these systems don't know whether you're on a bike, a treadmill, or skis. It's all the same to the cardiovascular system.

Cross-training is an option the athletes I coach always have when the weather is too bad to train outside. They can ride indoors on a trainer, or do another sport. About the third time in a row they are forced indoors by snow, rain, high winds, or whatever else Mom Nature has in store for them that day, I prefer they cross-train. In the winter I'd rather have an athlete be somewhat under trained but enthusiastic, than the other way around.

Cross-Training Workouts

Here are the common choices of cross-training workouts they choose from. They may also combine one or more of these workouts to produce a longer session with a lot of variety.

Hike.

This is a favorite, especially for those who live near the mountains. It can be done with a spouse who is not an athlete, which should give you some points. No particular skills are needed. Just pick a trail and start walking briskly. Move along at a good pace, especially on the up-hills. To develop strength, wear a loaded backpack. Twenty to 50 pounds will do.

Run.

This is also a popular choice for cyclists, but be careful. The problem with running is that the risk of injury is high. To lower the risk, stay on soft surfaces and start with a short duration such as 15 to 20 minutes. Every week add a few minutes, up to about 45 to 60 minutes total. And don't run on back-to-back days.

Combined bike-run.

Multi-sport athletes call these workouts "bricks." Combine biking and running into one session. This is also a good way to get into running safely. For example, you can ride on a trainer for a few minutes and then go for a run. Every week you can increase the run time while decreasing the bike time. For example, initially, there might be a 75-minute ride followed by a 15-minute run. Every week decrease the bike time while increasing the run time so that you build up to something such as a 30 minutes of riding and 60 of running. Following the bike portion, quickly change into dry clothes and running shoes before heading out to run.

Cross-country ski.

This is another popular winter workout in the snowy northland. Cross- country skiing is great for developing cardiovascular fitness. It also works the upper body-an area in which many athletes are lacking. Another benefit is that you can do long workouts without the risk of injury as in running.

Snowshoe.

Snowshoeing is like combining running and hiking, only on snow. The skills can be picked up quickly and it can be done any time there is enough snow covering the ground. Using ski poles will also work the upper body.

Swim.

Swimming is easy on the body, but highly skills oriented. Until you get onto it, you'll fatigue quickly. While you can ride or run for hours with no difficulty, after just a few minutes of low-effort swimming you'll be ready for a breather, if you're new to the sport. It will take a while to develop the skills to swim continuously for any appreciable time. That will take a few weeks, so it's best to do swim workouts as interval sets. Swim a length or two, recover until breathing quiets, and repeat. If you get really serious, you can also swim with a masters team which will provide motivation, training partners, and technique tips from a coach on deck.

Weights.

Although this not usually aerobic, I encourage you to lift weights in the winter. This is the best way to develop total body muscular fitness. If you don't have weights or machines available, be creative. Leg exercises can be done with a loaded backpack. Rubber stretch cords, available in sporting goods stores and catalogs, are also a good option. Don't just lift weights for cross- training. Also include an aerobic exercise from the above list.

Learn to be patient during the winter months. Don't rush headlong into intervals and hard group sessions. There will be plenty of time for that later. In the mean time, stay active by training outdoors when you can, indoors when you have to, and otherwise by cross-training.

Joe Friel is the author of The Cyclist's Training Bible, The Triathlete's Training Bible, and Cycling Past 50. He is a certified coach by USA Cycling and USA Triathlon and has been coaching endurance athletes for two decades. He may be reached by email at jfriel@ultrafit.com.