Staying Active this Holiday season

Tis' the season for Christmas trees, carols, snow covered roads, over eating, and dark mornings you'd rather sleep in then get up and run; in a word-hibernation. This time of year it's hard to stay motivated to bridge your running from the end of last season to the beginning of the new season's training plan. The key is three. Three workouts a week will keep your body ready for starting up again in the New Year.
Studies show after seven days of no training, blood volume drops and your ability to work aerobically diminishes. After two weeks lactate threshold, peak power, muscular resistance to fatigue and fat free mass all decrease while body fat percentage increases. Depending on the total down time it can take up to 11 weeks to regain what you have lost. To minimize fitness losses, plan for a minimum of three workouts a week, with no less than 50% of your in-season kilometres.
The holiday season can be exhausting, balancing work with family obligations and seasonal outings. With this in mind plan out your workout week by scheduling in 30 minutes first thing in the morning before the rigors of your day exhausts you, or head out on your lunch hour. One long run a week plus one to two sessions of speed work a week will maintain your lactate threshold and your maximum oxygen uptake.
Make it fun by leaving your watch, GPS and any other training tools at home and do a fartlek or steps workout. Fartlek is speed play and in general includes short bursts of higher intensity efforts interspersed between steady state aerobic efforts. The periods of high intensity work should vary throughout the workout, ranging in duration from 30 seconds up to 5 minutes. A steps workout is accomplished by counting every time your left or right foot hits the ground. Pick up your pace for 20 steps, slow down or walk for 20 steps, speed up for 30 steps, slow down for 30 steps, fast for 40, slow for 40, fast for 50, slow for 50. Warm up completely before each of these workouts. Not a runner? These workouts work great for walkers as well.
Another way to stay motivated is to get out with a friend or group; make a date, and stick to it. Keep it short and end with an outing for coffee to keep your motivation high. Fun runs are popular during the holiday season with Jingle Jogs and Resolution Runs a plenty. Sign up costs are low and distances usually 5 or 8k. With families and fun the theme there is no excuse to not get out and stay active.

At the Santa Jingle Bell 5k Susan Gudmundsson and Debbie Sicoli ran 38:01, Rachel Harder was 44:06, Cather Schmied Towsley was 40:56 and Adam Towsley was 40:58.
Looking for a way to start your new year off right? Tri & Run Sports hosts the Resolution Run 5k and Kids Run 1k on January 1st starting at 10am.