I need tips for running intervals in dark, cold weather

I did a lot of my marathon training like this last winter (I'm in the midwest). I found I had no problem on the bike paths with just a headlamp. However, super fast stuff was not the same, that's for sure. Running MP or HMP or even a little faster was not a big deal. But if I wanted to hit around 5k paces, I was just not able to stay as relaxed and hit the right times.

Fortunately my preference for training involved more long intervals and fartleks where I didn't worry about pace and just ran comfortably fast, whatever that happened to be in the cold, wet, snow, or ice.

Also, check out the tracks periodically. Lane 1 might get shoveled, you never know!

Get a snow shovel and clear enough to do strides. Also, hills and fartleks are your friends in the winter.

Treadmill?

if you have compact snow and ice and are concerned about having good traction then take on older pair of shoes a screw 8-12 sheet metal screws(1/2" or 3/8") into to sole. excellent traction and almost no difference in weight.

ShineALight wrote:

Track will be covered with snow and I don't want to sacrifice interval training.

Walk around the track, so you can define the border with your steps.

Then run around with your footprints as a guide. Keep doing this. Problem solved.

Live in Boston

Winters are a mess...sidewalks icey snow covered slippery

Ditto the shovel thing...this winter I’m hiding one by a quarter mile loop in the park near my house.

Also, I found this VERY helpful...find a wide road multiple lanes as you can usually snake onto the actual lane if it’s plowed properly...also o try to find a place like this that has good lighting and run after rush hour when the traffic dies down.

But be very careful.

I'm maybe newer to running than a lot of you so maybe it's not related and it's just my natural form but I definitely feel like my running form is more of a marathon shuffle than a gazelle and I've been trying to become more of a gazelle all summer but no luck.. I wonder if it's because of all the training I did last winter outdoors inside town (at night a lot too) I think I adopted the marathon shuffle because it just makes more sense to keep your feet as low to the ground as possible at all times when there might be a patch of ice at any time.. Now that there's no ice I still run like I'm on ice.

Treadmill, seriously

In my opinion, the paces on a treadmill are too different from the actual paces run on the road. Any other ideas?

Find an area you want to run in. Measure the distance of the interval that you are going to be doing on Google. Now go run it.

Or use your GPS watch to measure the distance, and go run it.

Or run the amount of mintues it takes you to run your desired interval. If it takes you 2:40 to run 800m at 5k pace, then run that interval on whatever street you choose to run on.

Also, make sure you do it on a flat road, or as flat as possible.

How does the Hanson team do their speed work through the winter in Michigan?

ShineALight wrote:

In my opinion, the paces on a treadmill are too different from the actual paces run on the road. Any other ideas?

If that is the case get a footpod to measure pace

I'd also recommend a membership to a 24/7 gym if you don't want to spring for a treadmill. That way you can get some decent runs in without worry about cars, ice, snow, etc.

ShineALight wrote:

In my opinion, the paces on a treadmill are too different from the actual paces run on the road. Any other ideas?

Lots of people do interval workouts successfully on the treadmill.

(1) Find a loop in a park or a stretch on a bike path where you can run without worrying about cars. Ideally one that will be one of the first places to get plowed and doesn't tend to get as icy.

(2) Do hills in place of shorter repeats. No, you won't be able to run as fast, but you'll get some of the same stimulus (and possibly even better for marathon purposes).

(3) Run workouts progressively (that is, with negative splits), with the expectation that you will need to warm up in order to work your way into your target zone.

(4) Try to run at the right effort for whatever workout you're doing and accept that the times will be whatever they are depending on conditions. Just get the work in as best you can.

YMMV wrote:

Get a snow shovel and clear enough to do strides. Also, hills and fartleks are your friends in the winter.

What the actual hell is snow?

There's a local Kenyan who trains near me (forget if he was a 2:08 or 2:12 guy) and wears shorts all winter to make him tougher. He just has a light windbreaker on top and no real winter gear. Gotta be tough in mind and spirit too.

ShineALight wrote:

I'll be training for a Spring marathon. I wake up early to do my training and start and finish in the dark. Other than a headlamp and appropriate clothing, any tips for running intervals on the road in these winter conditions? Track will be covered with snow and I don't want to sacrifice interval training.

Why the hell do you need a track when you´re training for a road race?

Curiosity wrote:

How does the Hanson team do their speed work through the winter in Michigan?

they don't have to do them in the dark.