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Home / News / 220’s Winter Training Advent Calendar (Part 2)

220’s Winter Training Advent Calendar (Part 2)

Part 2 of our Winter Training Advent Calendar covers keeping warm, planning for the bad weather, and making sure you get a proper rest...

10 Maintain Your Fitness

If you’ve worked hard throughout the season, you’ll definitely need a break so you can kick back and recharge the batteries. Bear in mind, though, that this doesn’t mean sitting on your backside until March. Keep a minimal amount of swim, bike and run sessions going to maintain your basic fitness so that when you want to pick up the pace in the New Year, it’ll be much easier.



11 Avoid Burn Out

Don’t go too mad too soon with high intensity training. No-one remembers who was flying in January when the season actually arrives.



12 Don’t Crash

When it’s icy outside just don’t ride your road bike. One missed session or a forced stint on the turbo is preferable to six weeks out with a broken collar bone or wrist. It’s not worth the risk and no-one enjoys using the scrubbing brush and TCP to get the gravel out of your hip.

13 Fitness Assessment

Visit a lab or do some basic time trials and field fitness tests to get an idea of your fitness levels now, then re-do the exact same tests in spring to monitor progress. You can’t hide from the data!

14 Master Technique

Want to improve your swim stroke? Now’s the time. Get some coaching and practice without the stress of preparing for races. Video analysis is the best way to do this if you can.

15 Cover Those Extremities

Training in miserable weather can be made much more bearable with the right kit. Spend money on decent gloves, cycling overshoes and hats to cover your frost bite zones.

16 Plan For Bad Weather

This means having planned indoor sessions available and alternative outdoor stuff you can be doing if Mother Nature throws a wet and windy day at you. That way you won’t be caught scratching your hear for things to do if you can’t you outside.

Profile image of Matt Baird Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.