Why Train in The Winter

Race season is over, and fall turns to winter. While your thoughts turn to cozy fireplaces and warm blankets, you hear about your friend who is fighting through the snow at 5AM to go swim in a cold pool. Or the friend who bundles up to go for a run. Or the one that has a smart trainer and rides indoors for a couple hours a day.

Why? Race season is over, why not start back in the spring?

The reason why athletes train year round, even off season, is to build their base level of fitness. All those laps in the pool, miles on the trainer, and running in the cold help them build up their fitness level. Then, when spring comes and race season starts, they are ready to go.

Base building also helps by taking athletes back to the fundamentals of training. They use drills to remember the proper form and get rid of the bad habits they may have developed during the race season.

Base building also helps an athlete stay mentally focused. Shorter structured workouts help an athlete improve and tweak things, and to mentally be ready when the longer workouts or open water swims begin again. Working on what worked last season, what didn't work, and addressing those issues before race prep training starts.