The following sections builds upon part 1 by providing sample workouts or elements of workouts that can be combined to gain the desired effect.  The winter months provide an excellent time to build your aerobic base.  The ice and snow as well as extra clothing naturally tend to slow down your pace...so you might as well not worry about your spilts and go for long slow distance.  Combine your base-building endurance run with some of the suggested workout sessions and you have an excellent foundation to build speed training next season.

In-door brick workouts.  If you belong to a gym or have a few home gym equipment pieces you can simulate transitions and stress the muscles as you would in a multi-sport race (adventure race or triathlon).  Using a Concept II rowing machine you can simulate the paddling section (I know it is not the same as kayaking, but it works the arms and legs), and then use either a stationary gym bike or your own bike on a trainer.  Other variations: Concept II to treadmill, treadmill to stationary bike.  If you have access to an in-door climbing wall you can insert a climbing circuit into any of the above variations.

Power hiking.  Another excellent technique to build your aerobic base and yet not become mentally burned out is power hiking with a heavy ruck sack (back pack).  Hiking up a sustained incline with a substantial backpack can easily keep you in your target heart rate (or above).  Add trekking poles and you have both an aerobic and muscular conditioning activity.

Monday

• Free body weight workout. Sets of push-ups, pull-ups, crunches
• Recovery run 4-6 miles moderate pace

Tuesday

• Abdominal work: the wood cutter use a 12 lbs exercise ball on a yoga ball
• In-door climbing wall circuits
• Wind trainer spin for 35-40 minutes

Wednesday

• Yoga
• Tempo run 6-7 miles with 700-1000 elevation gain

Thursday

• Power hike 120 minutes for total time (the hike is in snow). 2000 feet elevation gain

Friday

• Free body weight workout. Sets of push-ups, pull-ups, crunches
• Recovery run 4-6 miles moderate pace

Saturday

• In-door brick: row 5000 meters for time and bike (wind trainer) for 45 minutes.

Sunday

• Long run or 14er ascent in the winter (snowshoes or skins depending on route)
• 4-8 hours of continuous movement

The above sample workout combines long slow runs or power hikes with strength sessions to develop a solid base for the coming year.

• Winter Exercise Part 1
• Winter gear: Snowshoes, Nordic skis, and Telemark skis