Winter Training and Motivation: Athlete Focus
The temperature is cold, and the days are shorter. Struggling to maintain the motivation for training or orienteering regularly? You're not alone. Getting yourself out on cold dark mornings and evenings takes a lot more motivation than it might do in July.
Pick up some tips and see what makes up a typical training week for some of our top elite athletes this winter with our elite athlete focus feature series.
Athletes club: Forth Valley Orienteers
Athletes age: M34
World Orienteering Championships Relay Gold 2008
More recently, World Cup 8th place Grindelwald 2017.
Monday – easy running
Tuesday – hill session and recovery on spinning bike
Wednesday – Night orienteering
Thursday – easy running and intervals on golf course
Friday – easy running/spinning
Saturday – hills or orienteering
Sunday – long run (preferably in the hills, but sometimes forest roads)
As much training off road as possible, and in terrain at least once or twice per week. Also hot yoga 2-3 times per week (new this winter) for strength/flexibility/recovery.
At least once per week all winter – usually night orienteering, preferably twice. Also some very intense training camps and weekends with SEDS / Kalevan Rasti.
I enjoy my training, so it is almost never a problem to get out and do it.
I also like to think about the big competitions that I want to do well in during 2018, and I think about staying on top of the domestic races for another year!
"Go hard or go home" (Jon Duncan) is a good one.
Thank you, Graham. British Orienteering and members would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best with your training throughout the rest of the year.
Elite Athlete Winter Training Series of Interviews
More information - here.
Interview #1: with Charlotte Ward - here
Humberside and Lincolnshire Orienteers, Sheffield University Orienteering Club
Interview #2: with Kris Jones - here
Forth Valley Orienteers, Swansea Bay Orienteering Club, Lillomarka OL, Swansea Harriers, Dundee Hawkhill Harriers
Interview #3: with Alice Leake - here
Airienteers
Interview #4: with Alasdair McLeod - here
Airienteers
Interview #5: with Jenny Ricketts - here
Edinburgh University Orienteering Club, Mar Orienteering club
Interview #6: with Hector Haines - here
IFK Lidingö SOK