As the days shorten and temperatures drop, maintaining motivation for regular running can be challenging, especially when there are no upcoming races. However, keeping up with aerobic fitness year-round prevents the need to start from scratch when it’s time to train for your next event, according to Brant Stachel, an Ontario-based USATF-certified endurance coach at Fast and Free Performance Coaching. “Anytime you’re taking big swaths of time off, you have to go back into rebuilding mode where you spend weeks getting back up to the fitness that you previously had,” he explains.
For those who dislike treadmills or lack access to one, experts offer effective alternatives to help maintain endurance without relying on that equipment. By adopting these strategies, runners can keep their aerobic capacity high during the off-season.
Required exercise to maintain endurance
The amount of training necessary for endurance maintenance varies based on individual fitness levels and recent training loads. Stachel recommends that those who typically run five to seven days a week should aim for three to four days of running each week. This approach helps ensure that runners retain their fitness levels without overexerting themselves during the off-season.
Danielle Kroot, a DPT, certified run coach, and physical therapist in Portland, Maine, adds that even running just one to two days a week can prevent a complete loss of fitness when spring arrives. “If you’re somebody who’s running five to seven days a week, you probably still want to do three to four days a week,” she notes.
Andrea Dell, an RRCA-certified run coach, emphasizes that six weeks of consecutive low-mileage weeks are usually required to significantly lose fitness gains, indicating that taking a few weeks off, particularly after recovering from a marathon season, is beneficial for recharging.
Four indoor training strategies to maintain endurance in the off-season
Implementing effective indoor training strategies can help runners maintain their endurance during the winter months. These strategies focus on addressing weaknesses, emphasizing strength training, dividing workouts, and incorporating cross-training.
1. Address weaknesses
If you’re not training for marathons year-round, you are likely following a periodized training plan, which involves alternating between off-seasons, shorter distances, and maintenance phases between major race training cycles. Stachel highlights the importance of this approach for developing speed, strength, and endurance—key components of becoming a stronger and faster runner.
Winter is an ideal time to evaluate any fitness gaps, especially after a fall marathon season. Stachel advises reviewing past training cycles to identify what didn’t work. You might focus on strength and injury prevention if you’ve had persistent calf pain or prioritize speed workouts that weren’t emphasized during marathon training, such as mile race pace, 3K, and 5K efforts.
2. Emphasize strength training
Building strength is crucial for enhancing stability, power, and durability, which ultimately leads to improved performance. Increased strength during the off-season will help you handle greater mileage and speed when you ramp up your training.
Strength training should primarily target major muscle groups that runners depend on, including the calves, glutes, and quads. Both Dell and Kroot recommend exercises such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, calf raises, step-ups, and plyometrics.
Choosing weights that challenge you to complete only two more repetitions indicates that the weight is appropriate, Kroot explains. Stachel suggests utilizing any weights you may have at home, such as five-pound weights, to determine how many squats you can perform until nearing exhaustion.
For those with limited equipment, experts recommend combining movements, like doing a 15-minute stair climb followed by bodyweight burpees or planks.
3. Divide your workouts
Stachel recalls a particularly snowy winter when he split a 90-minute run into five segments, utilizing his local gym’s equipment and incorporating both running and cross-training. He ran 15 minutes to the gym, spent 20 minutes on the elliptical, rode a bike for another 20 minutes, used the treadmill for 20 minutes, and then ran 15 minutes home. “It’s also keeping your tissues and muscles exposed to that type of load so that there’s not this shock to your system when you start training for a race again, and can help decrease injury risk,” he shares.
While Stachel acknowledges that completing a continuous 90-minute run is ideal for sport specificity, he emphasizes finding a workout that is enjoyable and sustainable. “Even if you’ve got those five-pound weights hanging out in your basement, you can see how many squats you can do until you feel close to exhaustion,” he adds.
4. Incorporate cross-training proactively
Stachel advocates for cross-training during the off-season, even for those without injuries. Adding alternative aerobic exercises like swimming, aqua jogging, using the elliptical, or cycling can be helpful. “The idea of simply going on a treadmill for 90 minutes was mentally numbing,” he explains. This is where a gym membership can be particularly advantageous.
His preferred workout involves performing a tempo session on the elliptical, which he feels closely mimics running in terms of cardiovascular benefits. “The best winter workout is the one you’ll actually repeat and build on next week,” he notes.
Stachel mentions that any running interval workout can be adapted for the elliptical or another cross-training machine, suggesting you halve your typical outdoor recovery time. For instance, if you allow two minutes of recovery between tempo intervals outdoors, take one-minute recoveries on the elliptical. This may involve three 10-minute segments at tempo pace with one minute of easy effort in between.
For those who don’t frequent a gym, Dell and Kroot suggest stair workouts, at-home workout videos featuring Zumba or high-intensity interval training, and jumping rope.
Three tips for maximizing outdoor winter runs
Experts advise making an effort to run outdoors as often as possible, even if it’s just once or twice a week, or more during favorable weather. Bundling up for occasional outdoor runs keeps training engaging and helps your body acclimate to various surfaces.
Here are a few suggestions to enhance those outdoor running experiences.
1. Connect with local running groups
Finding safe, well-maintained routes for winter running can greatly aid consistency. Stachel suggests reaching out to fellow runners in your community or visiting local running stores to discover the best running paths available.
“Then it doesn’t seem like a shock to the system when that first snowfall drops and you’ve got a week where you can’t go outside and run,” he says, noting that these could include municipal buildings, local malls, hospitals, or parking lots. “This has the closest carryover to running in terms of cardiovascular function,” he adds.
2. Invest in quality gear
Quality clothing acts as your protection against the elements during winter runs. Dell warns that being underdressed can lead to a miserable experience, while overdressing can cause excessive sweating and frustration. She advises using a layering tool to determine how to dress for different weather situations.
Investing in fleece-lined tights or joggers, as well as ear covers and gloves, is also recommended. Stachel suggests using microspikes that can attach to running shoes for better grip on slippery surfaces.
3. Embrace the challenge
Stachel encourages viewing the off-season as an opportunity to take on new challenges. “It also loads the tissues because you’re more upright, whereas on the bike you don’t get that.” he remarks, highlighting the empowerment that comes from training during a season when many others do not.
“Every city I’ve been to or coached in during the winter has had some hidden gem that’s plowed for some reason,” Stachel asserts. This may involve adapting your training with indoor workouts or layering up for outdoor runs.
By the time spring arrives, you can anticipate an exciting racing season filled with the rewards of your winter training efforts. Stachel suggests that this experience will likely encourage continued winter training, knowing the benefits that come with it as you approach your target paces and personal records.
Kristine Kearns, a writer and passionate runner, joined Bicycling in July 2024. She has previously coached high school girls cross country and currently participates in seasonal races, possessing over six years of distance training experience and a passion for weightlifting. You may find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.