Coach Rachael’s Holiday Tips:
Communication is so very important when it comes to training for a winter race and enjoying the holidays with family. Planning the training plan ahead of time with your coach (or on your own if self-coached) will help alleviate a lot of last minute planning and stress. Communicating details with your coach like when family is coming into town or if you are traveling can help make scheduling a bit more flexible. Let your family know ahead of time that you will be carving out a bit of time to go for a run. It is ok to move a big session or a long run up or down a day. It is ok if a day off is needed. Fitness from a block of training will not erode away because you took a day off. The biggest takeaway: life balance. When you go out the door to train, pour your efforts and focus into your run and when you return home, pour your energies into happiness and visiting with loved ones. 
The next tip is to not stress! Of course, it’s important to maintain a good diet; plentiful in nutrients. A few treats and a nice holiday meal are not likely going to unravel weeks and months of consistent training.
Please avoid the temptation to “hoard calories” in anticipation of a more calorie dense meal. For example, if you have a tough workout in the morning and a mid-afternoon holiday dinner, abstaining from post workout nutrition could have a larger negative impact on training and recovery than having an extra piece of pie.
Alcohol: stay diligent with hydration should you enjoy an adult beverage and don’t be afraid to not indulge if it makes you more comfortable.
Coach Laura’s Holiday Tips
Do you find yourself with low motivation this winter season? Rest assured you’re not alone in this! Shorter days and chilly mornings make it extra hard to get out of bed during the winter months. During this time let’s practice switching our mindset and developing a better relationship with these tougher months. Winter can be a great time to switch up your training while keeping up with consistency. Here are some tips:
- Don’t be afraid to switch things up. Get out on the roads more often to avoid the snow or embrace treadmill runs!
- Try winter sports on cross-training days! Sign up for those cross country ski lessons you’ve always wanted to check out.
- Take this time to learn more about yourself and reflect on your intrinsic motivation; try connecting this to your personal values as well. Ask yourself: what gets me to lace up my shoes each day?
- If it’s hard to get out the door because you’re too cold, try hopping in a warm shower for a few minutes (don’t get your head wet)! Or add in a good warm-up, which is not only necessary during these winter months, but can help get you out the door too.
- And most importantly, talk to your coach if you’re feeling this way! Don’t struggle alone. Your coach is here to support you.
How to make the most of a treadmill workout during these winter months:
Make sure easy runs are done at a 1-2% incline to help stimulate a more realistic running experience. Put on headphones and rock out to your favorite playlist or podcast (if you’re into cool science, my favorite is Ologies with Alie Ward – thank me later!). Make sure you practice good running form:think relaxed jaw and quick, smooth strides. Cover up your monitor so you don’t stare at the data which makes time move slower.
Coach Sandi’s Holiday Tips:
Set an intention for how you want this holiday season to go. How do you want to feel? How do you want to think? How do you want to act? While it can feel comfortable to go through the motions, when we prioritize our own well-being, life can get a lot more enjoyable for us and everyone around us. When we’re mindful of our thoughts, always seeking the thoughts that align with the best version of ourselves, everything flows easier. If you typically do a lot of cooking that takes a lot of time, you can think about how much you care about the people you’re cooking for which will make it feel satisfying. Or maybe you choose to support a local bakery so you don’t have to cook another pie!
While I’m all for not drinking any alcohol, I personally choose to indulge every now and then. However, I have a rule that makes a big difference in how I feel the next day. My rule is that I only drink with other people when I’m already happy. I don’t drink alone or when I’m feeling bad because I know that will only drag out my experience of not feeling well. I care about myself too much for that! When I’m happy and having a good time with others, my body is releasing feel-good hormones, so it makes sense that alcohol doesn’t have as much of a negative impact on me when I follow my rule. With that said, I’m also good about staying hydrated with water (or even an electrolyte drink), eating well, and not overdoing it on the alcohol. I’ve also learned to stick to beer or a glass of wine as I’m more sensitive to other alcoholic drinks. I’m not telling you to do exactly what I do. I’m suggesting you care about yourself enough to know what makes you feel good and what doesn’t.
What are some tips you’ve come up with? We’d love to hear from you!