Traditionally, late autumn through to early spring marks the rebuilding of aerobic and strength foundations in the periodised programs of most endurance athletes. It coincides with shorter days, poor weather, dangerous road and trail conditions and with it all, seasonal health concerns.

As in any periodised ( or recovery-based) training program the main aim is progressive adaptation and improvement but not unhealthy obsession. It is OK to miss the occassional session and to roll with the punches in terms of other commitments. It’s not only the traditional big mileage time it is also about addressing core strength and particularly any imbalances or injuries that need rehabilitation and conquering.

Athletes that embark on regular, disciplined base training throughout the winter establish a substantial aerobic foundation that will carry them through to early summer; it’s like  money in the bank.The gradual low-intensity, repetitive nature of base miles often (but not strictly ) done on soft winter trails strengthens ligaments and tendons in key joints, enabling the athlete to gain strength in these crucial locomotion areas and prevent iunjury onset ahead of spring time speed work.

Hill work and snowshoeing or dune running ( if accessible ) are important ingredients in a successful winter build-up and offer stimulating and challenging alternatives to the daily grind.

A common misjudgment is to tune your base mile phase to a metronome like beat of low intensity with way too much time spent in HR Zone 1; it is usually of more use to venture to the dizzying heights of Zone 2 low ranges during winter miles, This means, roughly you should be spending a good deal of your time exercising at between 60-75% of HRmax. In terms of progression over a typical 12- to 16-week base phase, training should gradually increment from the low end (i.e. 62 to 71 percent of lactate threshold (LT), or around 61 percent of max heart rate) of the aerobic energy system to the high end (i.e. 90 percent of LT and 80 percent of max heart rate). In the case of say, a running program, adding 5km-10km gradually to your weekly total before a stable mileage rest period then add to the progressive total over the ensuing three weeks.

You should include a fartlek session once a week whether you are running, riding or paddling adding to the faster sections of these kind of activity over a 3 week period; it breaks up the monotony and helps ready your body for speed work in spring.

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