by
Sean Lunny, B Ed. [Kinesiology]
For most of us November
marks the end of the Adventure Racing year. For those of you like me, that started
racing back in May at the Duncan Mind Over Mountain season opener, its no-doubt
been a long year with lots of great races.
One
of the most common questions I get at this time of year is what sort of training,
and level of intensity people should be training at now that there racing season
is finished. The answer is dependent on the amount of racing you did, and how
great an improvement you made over your previous year of fitness. If you've raced
hard, or made large improvements in you overall level of fitness, you don't want
to let all that effort go to waste. However you have to have some kind of break
that allows your body and mind to recover.
In
general I take two weeks completely off, and eat anything I want, followed by
two more weeks, where, If I feel like going out for an easy one to two hour ride
I will, and if I don't feel like going out I won't. I know from years of experience
that when I have to psych my self up to get out for a ride that I'm tired and
need to rest.
While
you're taking your break, sit back and start to plan what your goals are, and
what things you want to improve on for the next year. Ease yourself back into
training, by doing some of the activities that you may not have had time for during
the summer. Any form of activity will be great cross training. Last year a group
of friends started playing soccer which was great cardio, but more importantly
so much fun that it didn't seem like training at all. I know it was training though,
because when I did start my run training again I felt great. Other great options
are rollerblading, cross-country skiing, swimming, snowshoeing, hiking, and basically
anything that gets your heart rate up.
One
of the best activities you can possibly do is cross-country skiing. Due to its
combination of upper and lower body activities, it produces incredible demands
on the aerobic system. This provides a great opportunity for you to work on your
overall aerobic capacity. It also requires overall body strength, from your legs,
to your shoulders and back. It's a great way to develop some extra leg strength
for cycling and running, while developing some upper body strength for paddling.
While
on the mountain, get out and try snowshoeing. Snowshoes have changed dramatically
over the last few years, with the new shoes, being incredibly light and versatile.
Snowshoeing is a great way to maintain your running fitness during the winter.
They will also help reduce your chance of shin-splints when you do return to the
road and trails, because they increase ankle, peroneous, and calf muscle strength.
If you feel like racing, check out the Yeti series, at http://www.theyeti.ca/races.asp.
Over
the winter, it is also very important to develop your overall strength. Generally
the stronger a person is the less likely of them getting hurt, the faster they
recover, and the less energy they expend while doing a task. I would strongly
recommend that everyone interested in AR racing follow some kind of structured
weight training program during the winter. Make sure you learn the exercises correctly,
and follow a pyradized approach. Being stronger will only make you better.
Finally,
one of the best things about AR racing is the variety of skills you have to use.
Winter gives all AR athletes a great chance to improve your skills by doing a
wide variety of fun activities that will only complement your summer activities.
So get out there and enjoy yourself.
