‘Tis the season for frosty morning runs and twilight adventures. If your athletes are ready to venture out, arm them with these tips first.

With snow on the ground in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and other states, it looks like Old Man Winter decided to skip fall this year and show up early. While skiers and snowboarders are getting excited to hit the slopes sooner than usual, wintry conditions create some challenges if your athletes want to keep running outside. While it’s tempting to let them give in to the elements and dust off their treadmills, there are some things you can do to keep your training group on the trails, no matter what the weather throws at them. 

1. Seek Out Spikes

It’s easy to think that the only place for spiked shoes is on the track, but in fact, a different kind can help your runners maintain traction and sidestep obstacles without taking a tumble on icy trails as well. Though winter spikes can be somewhat costly, if your athletes make sure to clean them off after each training session (a quick wash in your laundry room sink followed by a spell in front of a heater should do the trick), it will be a worthwhile investment and their spikes should last them for years. 

Buying a pair of spikes that fit over their existing running shoes is the most cost-effective way for your athletes to enhance their grip, as they won’t have to splash out the cash for new footwear and will be able to use this potent grip aid with more than one pair. Kahtoola is one of the most trusted brands, with their EXOspikes offering 12 points of contact made from durable and lightweight tungsten carbide tipping the scales at just 7.3 ounces per pair. Yaktrax’s appropriately named Run model combines steel spikes and chains in a similarly lightweight package. Or if your training group will be heading out on thicker ice or more technical trails, opt for Kahtoola MICROspikes or Yaktrax Traverse. 

2. Get Season-Specific Shoes

Another option for your runners to upgrade their footwear is to purchase a pair of shoes built specifically for slippery winter trails. Icebug was one of the first brands to plant their flag in this unique category, with the proprietary outsole of their sixth generation Pytho6 (women’s version here and men’s here) offering 16 steel studs on the bottom of a responsive midsole and durable upper. 

As more companies have entered the winter running game over the past couple of years, your athletes might prefer to not only choose a shoe that offers spike-like grip but also keeps snow and slush at bay. The unisex Salomon Winter Cross Spike integrates a high-top gaiter and waterproof booty that should keep your runners’ toes toasty on even the nastiest of days. If your athletes will be taking on trails with more vertical gain, they’ll probably enjoy a shoe that’s built more like a hiking boot on top, such as the Salewa Pedroc Pro Powertex for men or the Salewa Aplenarose 2 Mid for women, while those who favor the plush cushioning of a maximal midsole will like the bouncy unisex La Sportiva Blizzard GTX Trail. 

3. Embrace a Longer Warmup

When the mercury drops, it’s going to take your athletes longer to get their muscles, ligaments, and tendons ready for the rigors of a trail run than it would in the spring, summer, or fall. That’s why it’s imperative that they do a dynamic warmup before they head out. No matter how grippy their shoes and/or spikes are, they’ll likely find it harder to navigate obstacles like slick tree roots and slippery rocks than usual too. So be sure to include some exercises that emphasize foot flexion and dorsiflexion and take their ankles through a full range of motion. 

As they’ll be battling the elements to a greater degree than normal, it’s also a good idea to challenge your athletes with more dynamic exercises that will get the blood flowing through their muscles. Adding in bounding, hopping, and jumping movements to the end of their warmup should do the trick. You can also encourage them to run slower for longer than usual once they hit the trail to ensure their body is primed to perform in wintry conditions. 

4. Protect Head, Hands, Neck, and Feet

Though the notion popularized by the old US Army Field Training Manual that we lose 40 to 45 percent of our body heat through our head has been debunked, you still do shed a significant amount if your noggin remains uncovered. Hands and feet are the other common trouble spots for winter runners, as your body is desperately trying to keep your core temperature up and your organs running, and so shuttles heat and oxygenated blood away from your extremities. 

As such, your runners’ heads, hands, and feet will need a little assistance if they’re to stay warm during winter trail excursions. At the other end of the scale, you don’t want your athletes to overheat either if they go too far down the insulation route. So the challenge is to find fibers that insulate and wick sweat simultaneously. As everyone naturally runs warm or cool, this is going to be a largely individualized choice, but you can at least provide a line of best fit to your athletes. 

Gear made from synthetic blends – like the Patagonia’s R1 Daily Neck Gaiter – provides protection and breathability. While some include odor-fighting technology, the downside of polyester is that it tends to get funky over time. Merino wool isn’t usually as durable but will help your athletes avoid the stink, and unlike other fabrics, wool still insulates when wet, which will be handy if one of your runners gets dumped on by a snow-covered tree branch when they run underneath it. Colorado brand Voormi’s Precision Blended Beanie has a wicking layer and is machine washable, while from a sock standpoint, it’s hard to beat the snug fit of Smartwool’s venerable winter running option (women’s here and men’s here). 

5. Rehydrate Like a Pro

One of the biggest challenges with trail running when the temperature plummets is that people often don’t drink enough water to stay hydrated. Unless they overdo their layering, it’s unlikely that your athletes will be sweating at anything near the rate they would be during warmer months. On some runs, they might finish without feeling much more than a little clammy. As such, athletes are more likely to think that they’ve hardly exerted themselves, leading them to drink an insufficient amount of fluid. 

While their intake needs might not be as great as they would be in high temperatures, trail running in winter still imposes a significant fluid demand, so make sure you encourage them to sip water or their go-to electrolyte drink regularly throughout their training, with those that struggle to stay hydrated sticking to a timed or distance-based schedule (such as take a gulp every 10 minutes or half-mile). Then ensure they’re topping up their liquid levels once they’re done, which they can augment with watery fruits and vegetables. Check out this article for more winter hydration tips.

How to Be a Successful Endurance Coach

TRAININGPEAKS FOR COACHES

Learn from this guide to help you each step of the way as you build and grow your coaching business.

Read the Guide

About Phil White

Phil White is an Emmy-nominated writer and the co-author of The 17 Hour Fast with Dr. Frank Merritt, Waterman 2.0 with Kelly Starrett, and Unplugged with Andy Galpin and Brian Mackenzie. Learn more at www.philwhitebooks.com and follow Phil on Instagram @philwhitebooks.

Mental BREAK: Did you solely focus on one key race? Did this take the form of a part-time job? Wear you down? etc…IF that is the case, you need a “mental break” from structured workouts. You should continue to move as you wish with no focus on a watch, metrics or anything similar. Think about pulling out your hiking boots, your soccer cleats, your tennis racket, or any other “fun” activities that may have taken a back seat to triathlon. Let your body dictate how much you can handle/want to handle. Let your mind/your level of enthusiasm dictate what that “looks like”!

Change of focus/single activity focus: If you believe that you have a weakness or have had non-stop injuries in one event (the run), take the time to focus on that! Many triathletes shift to the run as the weather gets cooler and excitement rises with FALL run races. We would like to bring run frequency/durability to the forefront. With that in mind, if you have slogged long, slow miles all summer, shift your thinking…

Think about running more frequently with a true focus on form. If you are unclear on what form should be/look like, hire a coach. Or, get someone to film you to get immediate feedback (if you know what you are looking for). Pick apart your foot strike, your core engagement, your mechanics, etc…Once this is has been done, add in some “speed” focus. Learn to run faster in a mechanically sound way!

Let us know if we can help you with run focus/durability, triathlon training or anything else in the Endurance Domain. We have shared a great post below by fellow coach Patrick McCrann of Endurance NAtion.

Coach Mickey
mickey@start-tri.com

Day one ride from San Anselmo to Bolinas through the Marin headlands. Redwoods, unbelievable views, climbs and descents were fabulous with super switchbacks. First view of Bolinas was shrouded in fog due to the chill of the Pacific ocean and the warm air. Bolinas is a hippie enclave that time seems to have forgotten. A town that is off the beaten track (intentionally) as the sign to town on Route 1 is regularly removed by someone??? Dipped our tires on July 26th, drank champagne, called our loved ones and headed back over the mountains to San Anselmo. We were greeted by awesome locals at Gestalt Haus Bikes and Brews in Fairfax, CA. This bar has rows of bike hooks to hang your bikes post ride. Tim MacGrath hosted us and treated us like royalty before we shoved off for Davis, CA the next day.

The adventure continued for 37 days of riding with countless stories, people met, experiences, accidents, aches, pains, beautiful vistas, terrible heat, super wind, terrible wind, cities, plains, desert, mountains and ONE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY All is well in a beautiful adventure!

It’s understandable that during the first year of cycling, you may find yourself coming across a number of questions and stumbling blocks. Even those who have been riding ten years will occasionally find themselves stumped.

1-Buy from a local bike shop. Bike shops are allowed to stay open at this time, as they provide a service to those using cycling as exercise, or key workers such as doctors and nurses getting to work. Many will be operating differently – it may not be possible to browse bikes in store, but you can pick up the phone, take advice and still make a purchase.

Your local bike shop will be able to make sure the bike fits you, help you get set up on it, probably offer you a free six-month service, and be there to help you out when you’ve got questions. Expertise and advice now will save you cash in the long run, and right now local bike shops really need your support. 

2-Get comfortable on your bike. Many pro cyclists who have been riding for decades are still tweaking their bike fit – when it comes to performance, for some riders bike fit is a never ending process of adjustment based on individual factors and goals.

However, there are some basic guidelines that can apply to all riders looking to ride in comfort and avoid injury.

Optimum saddle height can be found by placing your heel on the pedal at its furthest away point. Your leg should be straight, so when you clip in, there’s a slight bend. You want a slight bend in your elbows, too – you know the reach is right when the front wheel of the hub disappears from view under the handlebars when you are riding on the tops.

3-Learn how to fix a puncture. There’s no good reason any rider should find themselves stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire and no means to fix it. If you don’t know how to fix a puncture, ask someone at a bike shop, a friend, or the internet, to teach you. Then practice at home until it’s easy.

4-Invest in a few extras. Cycling can, at first, appear to be a rather expensive hobby. And it can become so, but it doesn’t need to be. You don’t need to splash out on a wardrobe that would suit a cast member of the Power Rangers movie to be comfortable. Items we would advise you invest in are:

Padded bike shorts, lights, helmet, bike gloves, bike shoes and clipless pedals.

5-The gears are there to help you. Don’t fight them. Shift into a smaller chainring, and larger rear cassette cog, for easier pedaling on the hills. Use a larger chainring and smaller rear cog to pedal more smoothly and go faster on the flat. Spend some time practicing on a flat road – in time, shifting into the correct gear will feel natural.

You’ll know you’re in the wrong gear if you find you’re spinning the cranks incredibly fast, but barely moving; or grinding your way up a hill and finding the resistance so great you’re pedaling becomes slow.

6-Be confident on the road. Ride about a meter from the edge of the road – this gives you room to move around obstacles (pot holes) and it encourages other road users to give you more room when overtaking.

Obey the traffic code, and follow standard guidelines. Remember that here in New Jersey, cars HAVE to give you three feet upon passing you. You do have rights on the road! Be defensive, smart and safe.

7-Practice some basic technique. You don’t need to go from zero to careering down the side of Alpine mountains at speed. But a few basic skills will help you to feel more confident.

Remember that your front brake is much more effective at stopping you, so get used to feathering it lightly alongside the rear, rather than grabbing a handful of lever.

When cornering, be sure to slow down to an appropriate speed before you hit the bend, this saves you braking on it. Lift up your inside knee and apply weight to the outside to maintain balance.

When approaching a climb, keep pedaling to help carry as much momentum as possible into the ascent and get out of the saddle regularly to stay comfy.

Triathlon training, run, strength and personal training. We will be hosting an indoor triathlon at the Berkeley Heights YMCA on Sunday September 11th. 10 min swim(beautiful outdoor pool)/30 min bike/20 min walk/run. www.thesay.org

Reach out to us at 908-256-1738.

Coach Mickey

Now that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow last Wednesday giving us SIX more weeks of WINTER it is time to reach out to Start-tri to help you reach your goals:) Time to thaw out and MOVE!

Triathlon training, run, strength and personal training. We will be hosting an indoor triathlon at the Summit YMCA on Sunday Feb 27th. 10 min swim/30 min bike/20 min walk/run. www.thesay.org

Reach out to us at 908-256-1738.

Coach Mickey

Holidays can undo healthy habits.

From now until New Year’s Day, your schedule will likely be filled with family obligations, traveling and festive outings with all sorts of tempting treats. While some holiday events and gatherings will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there will still be plenty of opportunities to overindulge. It’s no surprise that many of us see our waistlines expand during the holiday season, as even the most disciplined people can find it difficult to stick to a fitness and healthy routine.

But this year can be different.

To help keep us on track, here are some tips from leading experts in health, sports medicine, behavioral psychology, fitness and nutrition – for some much-needed advice. Here are their 8 secrets to staying fit during the season of overindulgence:

1-Keep MOVING.

2-Have a PLAN…and HYDRATE.

3-Make LISTS, exercise EARLY and SLEEP.

4-EXPECT the UNEXPECTED.

5-BE CREATIVE.

6-PLAN.

7-Indulge for a NIGHT, not a SEASON.

8-Take a MOMENT for YOURSELF.

In this article, I would like to focus on safety for the cyclists and the drivers. Below are some of the major points/ideas on safety:

• Avoid certain streets/Time your rides: There are certain streets that do not lend themselves to safe riding due to car volume, little to lack of shoulders, too many businesses, entrances/exits to retail, quality of road surface. Stay away from riding during rush hour due to higher car volume, more aggressive/irritable driving and avoid riding certain roads in the 6PM to 9:PM range as there is a high accident percentage during that period.

• Helmets: Every bike ride begins with putting on a helmet. But, it is equally important that you ensure a proper fit so your helmet can best protect you. Size can vary between manufacturers. Follow the steps to fit a helmet properly. It may take time to ensure a proper helmet fit, but your life is worth it. It is usually easier to look in the mirror or have someone else adjust the straps. Be sure to visit your local bike shops for a helmet. Hilltop Bicycles locally in Summit, Cranford and Madison. Marty’s Reliable Cycles in Morristown and Randolph. Trek Bicyles in Stirling and Summit. Jay’s Cycle in Westfield.

• Rules of the road: Ride responsibly, and remember: All states require cyclists on the roadway to follow the same rules and responsibilities as motorists. Go with the traffic flow and ride on the right in the same direction of other vehicles. Go with the flow-not against it! Be courteous in your riding! Website: https://www.nhtsa.gov/
  
• Signal often: As noted above with the rules of the road, signal as you would expect a vehicle to do. That makes you more predictable to the motorists around you.

• Re-think music players/phones: As you would expect from motorists, do not text, listen to music or use anything that distracts you from concentrating on the road/traffic. You want to be able to hear vehicles coming behind you and on your left.

• Light up/Visibility: Consider using a light or multiple lights at all times of day. This will help in motorists being able to see you more clearly. Along the same lines, think about what you wear to ride in an effort to make you more visible.

Drivers: Share the road!

People on bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as people behind the wheel of a vehicle.

• Yield: Remember cyclists have the same rights as a motorist and NEVER underestimate their speed. This will help avoid turning in front of a cyclist traveling on the road or sidewalk, often at an intersection or driveway.
• Parking lots: At stop signs, in parking lots when backing up, parking, etc…search your surroundings for other vehicles including bicycles.
• Turning right on red: Be aware when turning right on red to look behind and to the right to avoid hitting a cyclist approaching from the right rear. Stop completely and look left-right-left and behind before turning.
• Speed limit: Obey the speed limit, reduce speed for road conditions and drive defensively to avoid a crash with a cyclist.
• Room/space: Give cyclists room. Do not pass too closely. Pass cyclists as would any other vehicle-when it is safe to move over into the adjacent lane. Along those lines, please DO NOT honk your horn if the cyclist is over to the right or if you are warning them of your passing.

The roads are meant to be enjoyed by all. Please remember these and all other safety tips from valid sources.

– Coach Mickey

Find things that make you happy, move, surround yourself with good, positive people, be healthy, be creative, etc…

I look forward to 2021 and hope to spend more time with/see more of the people that make me laugh, motivate/inspire me, listen to me and make me who I am!

Let 2021 be the year of something new, something great, and something to hold on to

Coach Mickey

There have been conflicts between cyclists and drivers since the dawn of man (maybe not that long, but you get the point). While many of these “disagreements” might have a valid argument, it never helps when either side digs in and isn’t willing to change or see the other’s point of view. Bikes nor cars are going anywhere anytime soon, so it’s best to try and get along.
Sharing the road with cars can be dangerous, but there are things to keep in mind to help protect yourself and foster a healthier relationship between motorists and cyclists. While you can’t control other drivers’ actions, you can control how you ride and conduct yourself on the road.
Here are 10 cycling etiquette (read: safety) tips to keep in mind when sharing the road with drivers.

Ride with traffic, not against it.
This first one is easy: Ride with the direction of traffic. Not only is riding against traffic illegal (a bike is considered a vehicle and follows the same laws as cars), it’s also dangerous. Drivers are looking for cars moving in the same direction, so this holds true when they come across bikes, too.
Ride on the road, not on the sidewalk.
As we mentioned above, bikes are held to the same laws as cars. Whenever possible, ride on the shoulder of the road instead of the sidewalk. This is safer for you, the cyclist, since cars will be expecting you in the street as you roll through an intersection or past a driveway. It’s also safer for pedestrians who aren’t expecting an incoming cyclist. If the road is too narrow or traffic is moving too fast, it’s appropriate to ride on the sidewalk, just slow your roll, and be mindful of others.
Take the lane.
Despite any name-calling or obscene gestures this might provoke, as a cyclist you have the right to take an entire lane. This isn’t recommended for a single rider unless the road gets too narrow, but certainly don’t be afraid to exercise this right when riding in a group. It’s safer to hold up traffic through a tight area than have cars try to pass you and potentially run you off the road.
Watch right turns.
When cars take a right-hand turn from the farthest lane to the right, rarely do they look over their right shoulder for cyclists. Watch for drivers making a right-hand turn and remove yourself from their blind spot by moving to their left—especially if you’re planning on going straight through the intersection.
Bike lanes are your best friend.
If you have bike lanes or bike paths in your city, use them! Not only are they much safer than sharing the road with cars, but they’re more efficient for cyclists, too. If the lane shares a road with cars, be sure to watch out for parked cars, or as mentioned above, cars turning right (or cars merging onto the road).
Follow the rules.
Just because you’re on a bike doesn’t mean you can roll through stop signs or red lights. Sure, it’s against the law, but there’s more to it than that: By following the traffic rules and patterns, you’re more predictable, which makes riding with cars safer. And FYI, this holds true for drinking and riding—be responsible when going out and riding home by bike.
Be consistent.
Another way to help prevent any issues when sharing the road with vehicular traffic is to be consistent. This means you need to ride in a straight line at consistent speeds whenever possible, and don’t try to weave your way through stopped traffic or take a shortcut through a parking lot.
Watch out for car doors.
We’ve all known someone who was riding on the shoulder of a road when all of a sudden, a parked car’s door opens, inevitably causing the rider to collide with the door. Depending on your speed, this can lead to serious injury. Be sure to give parked cars at least a few feet of room, and slow down to look for drivers sitting in cars who might decide to open the door.

Be careful turning left.
By now you should be more than aware of the importance of following the rules of the road, and left turns are no exception. This can be done one of two ways: either hop off your bike and wait on the sidewalk to cross the street in the crosswalk (walking your bike), or merge into the left turn lane and make your turn as you would a car. Choose whichever option feels the safest and most comfortable for you for each specific situation. And if you choose remaining with the cars, don’t forget your hand signals as you merge and turn.
Be mindful of your surroundings.
Only you will know what feels right and what doesn’t when sharing the road with vehicular traffic. If something’s not OK, or you’re not comfortable on a specific road, don’t be afraid to pull over, stop riding and call someone to pick you up or wait until traffic clears up. Keeping the previous nine points in mind will go a long way to ensuring your safety, but being hyperaware of your surroundings (leave headphones, your phone and music in your backpack or jersey pocket) ultimately falls on your shoulders.