Snowy Training Tips Wanted

Supercell

It looks very much like next week could be pretty snowy countrywide, and in particular the east and south east.

I'm thinking that running in snow is a bit like hill training as you have to lift the knees high and pump so surely there are some positives from not being able to run fast?

Any recommendations for getting the most of the changed conditions underfoot rather than wussing out and cowering indoors?

Woddle

I'll be on the treadmill so and thanks for the heads up, the kids have been waiting all xmas for snow

Supercell

Woddle wrote: »

I'll be on the treadmill so and thanks for the heads up, the kids have been waiting all xmas for snow

Jaysus Woddle your hols are longer than our geniuses in the Dail

Woddle

I'm a stay at home dad (still do the odd part time stuff though) and I'm trying to talk herself into having a third, so I can stay at home for longer and continue to train

hunnymonster

In my vast experience on one jaunt across the wicklow mountains in icy conditions, stay on the verges, the ground will be frozen so no squelshing but there will be a bit more grip than on icy tarmac. If it get's properly snowy, something like

might be needed.

Supercell

hunnymonster wrote: »

In my vast experience on one jaunt across the wicklow mountains in icy conditions, stay on the verges, the ground will be frozen so no squelshing but there will be a bit more grip than on icy tarmac. If it get's properly snowy, something like

might be needed.

Snowchain shoes ! I want them!!

Enduro

Now they look cool Might have to get some of them for the next winter Adventure Race I end up doing.

hunnymonster

lol, The reason I was looking at them was because we were considering the susitna 100 (http://www.susitna100.com/). It's not going to happen this year but it's still on the potential list for 2010. So many races, so little time (and money)...

geld

If it gets really bad then you might need these..!!!

http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/pictures/pictureViewer.php?ID=1714&raceID=47

gerard65

Thank God we don't get snow in Dublin.

Supercell

gerard65 wrote: »

Thank God we don't get snow in Dublin.

You might want to check out the weather forum there gerard65...

rainbow kirby

gerard65 wrote: »

Thank God we don't get snow in Dublin.

Give it a couple of days

gerard65

Supercell wrote: »

You might want to check out the weather forum there gerard65...

I do, quite often, and in fairness some of you guys know your stuff - I hav'nt a clue how you read some of those charts. But two reasons I don't want to see the white, cold stuff - 1. dodgy underfoot conditions 2. becoming the victim in the skanger sport of pelt the 'jogger' with blocks of ice. The moron comments I can deal with, but a smack of ice in the side of the head - no thanks.

robinph

Currently in the UK and have decided that I'm better off not worrying about doing any training for the next day or so as it just looks too damn cold out there. :eek:

gerard65

Thats it for me. Not training in that. An excuse for a few days, much needed, rest.:D

rainbow kirby

This has the look of a treadmill week. The thought of that is making me want to barf.

*doesn't like treadmills... at all*

robinph

gerard65 wrote: »

Thats it for me. Not training in that. An excuse for a few days, much needed, rest.:D

Ahh, so your going to try the less training to race faster plan that I've been doing then ready for the next XC then?

Supercell

Snow is pretty bad (good) here. I went out for a 4.3km walk taking pictures, not sure if i'm allowed put that in Woddles 1000 mile league?, was hard enough going though, my bum hurts funny enough after it.

gerard65

You've exposed my cunning plan;)

Sorry I was replying to Robinph's post. Nothing to do with Supercell's bum!!!

Supercell

Lol, my poor runners would be saturated after 10 paces so i reckoned i'd go for a walk in me wellies..twas nice.

Except..my ears and nise were bright red at the end, I needed to pee and my bum hurt.
I reckon I am not ultra material.

ClashCityRocker

rainbow kirby wrote: »

This has the look of a treadmill week. The thought of that is making me want to barf.

*doesn't like treadmills... at all*

Likewise.

Can anyone recommend any pay-as-you-go gyms in South Dublin?

RacoonQueen

ClashCityRocker wrote: »

Likewise.

Can anyone recommend any pay-as-you-go gyms in South Dublin?

What part of Dublin exactly? All city council gyms are PAYG.

ClashCityRocker

mp1972 wrote: »

What part of Dublin exactly? All city council gyms are PAYG.

I'm in D6, so somewhere in that general area would be ideal.

I'm not a native, so my knowledge of the local amenities is sketchy...

Slogger Jogger

:D:D
Managed a nice easy recovery run in the snow...
Put details on my training log:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055451600&page=5

PainIsTemporary

Just back in the door from run. Inspirational stuff... not a fan of treadmills. Had no problems running on the grass. Good pair of trail shoes would do the trick in the snow. Was using my Nike Pegasus there and they worked the finest. Get out and enjoy it if at all possible. Beats looking at some betty doing lengths of the pool for the hour you're on the treadmill [sorry, my experience of gyms aint all that positive...I'm sure betty's a lovely girl]:D

RacoonQueen

ClashCityRocker wrote: »

I'm in D6, so somewhere in that general area would be ideal.

I'm not a native, so my knowledge of the local amenities is sketchy...

YMCA on Aungier Street would probably be closest, that I know of, to you then.

Woddle

Balrothery sports complex in tallaght is pay as you go and a decent enough pool aswell

ClashCityRocker

Thanks mp and Woddle. Following mp's first reply I googled Dublin City Council gyms, and I reckon the one on Townsend Street might be handiest for me. I'll be on the DART for work for the next week or two and this gym will be nice and convenient for Tara Street station.

I'm really not a fan of treadmills, but I'm less of a fan of snow and sludge! Must remember to bring the ipod to the gym...

rigal

gerard65 wrote: »

But two reasons I don't want to see the white, cold stuff - 1. dodgy underfoot conditions 2. becoming the victim in the skanger sport of pelt the 'jogger' with blocks of ice. The moron comments I can deal with, but a smack of ice in the side of the head - no thanks.

I was ambushed by a group of teenage lads this evening when I was running past the local soccer pitchs. Good job I saw them in good time and had a few snowballs at the ready. It was actually quite entertaining dodging their snowballs and firing them back.... not sure I would have found it so funny if they had nailed me though :P

jeffontour

I was out for an hour this evening(D6 area) and it was lovely running. To hell with all this talk of treadmills, just get out and run, it makes a great change to the routine! Only met 1 other runner.

Only note of caution is I got hammered with snowballs by a bunch of youngfellas who focused on me whilst waiting for the next bus down at the park by Nutgrove shopping centre, so best to run on opposite side of the road to the park if in the area!

The cycle to work tomorrow is gonna be fun.....

Enduro

+ 1

Just get out and run. I had a fantastic run this evening. Up to the masts on three rock. Lots of lovely snow on the ground. Light bouncing everywhere. Fantastic. Can't wait for tommorrow, when there should be even more snow on the hills.

Might change to the gnarly mountain bike for commuting tomorrow. If conditions are "interesting" might as well use the right tools for the job

RacoonQueen

rigal wrote: »

I was ambushed by a group of teenage lads this evening when I was running past the local soccer pitchs. Good job I saw them in good time and had a few snowballs at the ready. It was actually quite entertaining dodging their snowballs and firing them back.... not sure I would have found it so funny if they had nailed me though :P

jeffontour wrote: »

I was out for an hour this evening(D6 area) and it was lovely running. To hell with all this talk of treadmills, just get out and run, it makes a great change to the routine! Only met 1 other runner.

Only note of caution is I got hammered with snowballs by a bunch of youngfellas who focused on me whilst waiting for the next bus down at the park by Nutgrove shopping centre, so best to run on opposite side of the road to the park if in the area!

The cycle to work tomorrow is gonna be fun.....

I was pelted with snowballs cycling home from work yesterday. Which completely put me off running, 'specially given I live in skanger central...god knows what they'd put in the snowballs up here. :rolleyes:

Highway_To_Hell

Got out for a 10 miler yesterday afternoon around Citywest and Tallagh and was expecting to get pelted with snowballs but the kids seemed to be only interested in hitting the cars. I did get a fair few splashes from passing cars.

Only planned on 10K but I felt good so I just kept going. Luckily I only had a few mins where hailstones were blowing into my face, just had to be careful as there were a good few icy patches. Plan a 10K today as the weather is looking OK.

Stupid_Private

Only two snowballs fired at me yesterday and they were waaaaaay off the mark... and I'm a big target!

Stark

mp1972 wrote: »

Which completely put me off running, 'specially given I live in skanger central...god knows what they'd put in the snowballs up here. :rolleyes:

Rocks would be the short answer.

Enduro wrote:

+ 1

Just get out and run. I had a fantastic run this evening. Up to the masts on three rock. Lots of lovely snow on the ground. Light bouncing everywhere. Fantastic. Can't wait for tommorrow, when there should be even more snow on the hills.

That whole Three Rock area is indeed incredible in the snow. Especially running down off Tibradden with the deep snow on the trails and the magnificent views of Glendoo(?) mountain all covered in snow to your right Should hopefully get out there tonight if my lift is going.

Poncherello

Out in castleknock last night I saw a few fools running. With the greatest level of respect for those out there who are hardier than me, why risk injury just so you can look tough ..?

Anyone who got hit by a snowball deserved it !!

Stupid_Private

Poncherello wrote: »

Out in castleknock last night I saw a few fools running. With the greatest level of respect for those out there who are hardier than me, why risk injury just so you can look tough ..?

Anyone who got hit by a snowball deserved it !!

I was a fool out in the Castleknock area - nothing to do with looking tough, it was no colder than any other night in weeks. It'd be like not training because it was raining. On the first day of snowfall there's shag all chance of injuring yourself if you're careful, there's no ice underneath as it's all fresh snow. I wouldn't fancy attempting speed work on the roads or paths with snow on them but if you're just jogging there's no harm at all.

How do you think people manage who live and train in countries where they actually have snow for months of the year and not just one day? They don't just stop training until spring comes around...

Supercell

Conditions here were too bad too jog in, I guess in colder countries they dont have to deal with slush and they get the roads cleared.
Heres a track I usually jog down, about a foot of snow with a slushy river running down the side..lovely stuff not!!

kennyb3

In work in drumcondra and never seen snow in dublin like we ve just had. an absoulte blizzard. no football traing or run 2nite me thinks!! hope i can get home.

SeanMurphy

Im so dissapointed. Only in my 2nd week of a 10 week training program and its all falling apart. STUPID WEATHER!:mad:

m3llowship

I was up bright and early this morning and out at it. Running in the snow, listening to the Rocky Soundtrack! It was pretty cool.

Did'nt manage to find any steps to run up though!

Woddle

Poncherello wrote: »

Out in castleknock last night I saw a few fools running. With the greatest level of respect for those out there who are hardier than me, why risk injury just so you can look tough ..?

Anyone who got hit by a snowball deserved it !!

Well I dont think I looked very tough im my tights and wooly hat but I tell you it added to my mental toughness and its the kind of session your going to look back at in the final stages of a marathon and it's going to make you dig deep. You shouldn't knock things you don't understand :rolleyes:

Slogger Jogger

Here is the view I got on a trail run through the snow today.

(how do you paste in an image btw?)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhanney/3251331340/

rainbow kirby

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Here is the view I got on a trail run through the snow today.

(how do you paste in an image btw?)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhanney/3251331340/

"barefoot through the snow, uphill both ways" :pac:

robinph

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

(how do you paste in an image btw?)

Hit the "All sizes" button in Flickr, then pick the medium just so that it's not the huge version that you select. At the bottom of that page your'll see a text box with the path to the actual image, then without the spaces do this:

and [ /url] tags as well to link to the full Flickr version if you want, and that is the way that they "prefer" you to do things anyway.

thirtyfoot

We trained on the track last night and it was vicious conditions. The snow had melted and there was 1-2 inches of slush on the track with it freezing in places. We were doing 200-500m intervals and our times were sh*t compared to what we have been hitting recently. The easterly gail would cut you in half and the rain was buring a hole in your face. It meant with all this that we didn't even realised our lungs were about to explode and the lactic was filling up in the legs. I've never enjoyed a hot shower like I did last night.

Racing Flat

Tingle wrote: »

We trained on the track last night and it was vicious conditions. The snow had melted and there was 1-2 inches of slush on the track with it freezing in places. We were doing 200-500m intervals and our times were sh*t compared to what we have been hitting recently. The easterly gail would cut you in half and the rain was buring a hole in your face. It meant with all this that we didn't even realised our lungs were about to explode and the lactic was filling up in the legs. I've never enjoyed a hot shower like I did last night.

Surprised the track wasn't closed tbh. Usually closed at the first sniff of frost..

To the OP - if you can get to a field/football pitches while it's still bright, or one with lights, bring your spikes, you'll have a good session. Nights like last night the footpaths were so slippy hard to get going at all.

BTW, running in (virgin) snow is a great way to do a bit of self-gait analysis - run for a stretch then go back and look at your footprints:

Are they turning in, or out? Should probably be pointing straight forward/slightly out (five-to-one position).

Are they symmetrical? Should be.

Also a good time to measure your stride length, e.g. if you are working on increasing that to try and imrpove performance...

Stark

Went for a run around Clontarf last night. It was actually fine.

Highway_To_Hell

Stark wrote: »

Went for a run around Clontarf last night. It was actually fine.

I was runing on the otherside of the Bay (Killiney - Dunlaoghaire) at around 6pm and it was dire, wind and rain were into my back on the way towards dunlaoghaire but when I turned around I nearly started going backwards. I was only out for 45mins but was glad I did it after my shower.

Stark

We got lucky. The wind seemed to follow us round in a big circle (started heading eastward on Howth road, then came through St. Anne's park and came back along the bay).

hunnymonster

We've gotten off relatively lightly here in Cork so far. I'm due to Fly to Gatwick for a race in Kent on Saturday night and I'm not sure what to expect, both for the journey and the race.