Triathlete Magazine - December 2006

TRAINING ON THE RUN
Snow job
Choosing alternatives
to winter running
By Kirk Nordgren, CTS
Expert Coach

Instead of spending hours on a treadmill this winter, get out there in the snow to maintain and improve your running fitness. But which snow sport is right for you? It all depends on four basic variables: skill, benefits, opportunity and cost.

Skill: When looking for a winter running alternative, it’s important to think about the time you’re willing to commit to learning a new activity. Since there aren’t any complicated techniques to learn, you can get a great workout and have a lot of fun the very first time you step into snowshoes. Cross-country skiing, though equally fun and a great workout, is more complicated. It only takes a day to learn how to cross-country ski, using either the classic or skate method, but it can take several outings to become proficient. If you’re only going to get out in the snow a few times each winter, it can be frustrating to constantly struggle with your skiing technique when all you really want is a good replacement for a run session. On the other hand, if there’s snow on the ground from November through April, you have plenty of time to become a great skier.

Benefits: Snow sports can deliver a wide variety of benefits for runners, and the right activity for you may be a question of what you’re looking for. Cross-country skiing, for instance, is one of the most demanding aerobic activities available, but it’s also a very low-impact sport. As a result, it’s perfect for people who

want to keep their aerobic engines tuned up while reducing the shock their bodies have to absorb during the race season. On the other end of the spectrum, muscling a pair of hiking snowshoes (which are larger and heavier than running snowshoes) through deep snow can help runners gain leg strength.

Both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing tend to be more aerobically demanding than running and burn more calories per hour. This can play a crucial role in your training because it means that, other things being relatively equal, one hour of skiing or snowshoeing delivers a bigger training load than one hour of running.

Opportunity: Proximity to snow doesn’t automatically make all kinds of snow sports available. While you can ski using the classic style on any groomed trails or in the backcountry, the skating style of cross-country skiing requires wide, groomed trails. Similarly, the large surface area of hiking snowshoes helps keep you on top of deep snow, even untouched powder in the backcountry. Smaller running snowshoes, however, are better suited to packed snow or groomed trails because they tend to sink into deep powder.

Cost: Hiking snowshoes are the cheapest way to go ($80 to $250) because they tend to be the least technologically advanced. Running snowshoes are a bit more expensive ($200 to $350) because manufacturers use lighter materials and more advanced designs to try and make them faster for competitions. Either option is cheap to rent as well ($8 to $12 per day).

If you go the skiing route, rental equipment is very affordable ($15 to $50 per day), but buying a whole ski package can be expensive ($250 to $1200). Start by renting to get an idea of the type of equipment you’ll want to invest in. If you decide to pursue the sport at even a recreational level, it’s best to stay away from “combi” equipment that tries to do both classic and skate skiing, but doesn’t do either very well. Instead, go for the skis, poles, bindings and boots specifically designed for either skate or classic skiing.

While cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can both be effective alternatives to running when your favorite routes are covered in snow, it’s important to remember they shouldn’t completely replace running for the entire winter. Snow-bound running alternatives are great for your aerobic engine, and the upper-body component of skiing and snowshoeing with poles can give you an awesome full-body workout, but the best way to maintain your running form is by actually

running. The principle of specificity has been proven many times: if you want to be a better runner, you have to run. Stride frequency, running mechanics and ground-impact trauma (good and bad) won’t be the same with skiing or snowshoeing. Add winter cross-training as much as your schedule and climate will allow, but don’t cut out your running entirely.

Snowshoe Hiking

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SnowshoeRunning 4 3 2 3 3 3

Classic XC Skiing

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Skate XC Skiing

5=High 1=Low

Rental Availability

Equipment Costs

Technique Difficulty

Strength Benefit

Aerobic Benefit

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Need for Groomed Trails

Photo courtesy Salomon Sports

As you choose an alternative to running this winter, consider the time and money you want to invest and select your sport accordingly. In spite of their different demands, both skiing and snowshoeing will complement your running and help you enjoy training all winter long.

Kirk Nordgren is an Expert Coach for Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. Nordgren honed his cross-country ski-racing skills while attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth. To find out what CTS can do for you, and to sign up for our free newsletters, visit trainright.com/newsletter.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

■ Cross-country skiing is perfect for people
who want to keep their aerobic engines tuned up
while reducing the shock their bodies have to
absorb during the race season.

■ Muscling a pair of hiking snowshoes through deep snow can help runners gain leg strength. ■ Other things being relatively equal, one hour of skiing or snowshoeing delivers a bigger training load than one hour of running.

■ While cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can both be effective alternatives to running when your favorite routes are covered in snow, it’s important to remember that they shouldn’t completely replace running for the entire winter.