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Winter doesn’t have to slow you down. You can still continue to exercise as normal. Here are a few tips to keep you running during the cold months ahead:

Maintain Miles: The less activity, the quicker the free fall into detraining, so keep a running base of at least three nonconsecutive days a week of no less than 50 percent of your usual mileage. Cross-training can help keep your fitness high, but remember that only running makes you running fit.

Run Fast: A week or two off from quality runs can be beneficial physically and mentally. But extending a break longer than that can slow you down faster than a frigid north wind. Even if your next race is months away, tempo runs will keep you inoculated against the ravages of lactic acid. And fartlek sessions–my winter speedwork of choice–will help you maintain your VO2 max. These fast-paced runs also recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers that would otherwise remain dormant when only doing easy miles. And doing strides will help keep your sprint mechanics in working order.

Plan Ahead: Put the date of your first spring race on your calendar. Then your second. These forecasted races provide motivation. And they let you know when your training should begin, which might be well before spring.

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