TRAINING FOR COLD, WET CLIMATES


W


hen you live in warm and dry areas, you can count on feeling thirsty and sweating sunscreen.


However, if you are coaching an athlete who lives and trains in a warm, dry climate with a goal race in potential wet, cold conditions, you’ll have to help the athlete adapt to what may come on race day. Rocky Balboa used to take his training to the meat cooler, which would be a great spot to set up an indoor bike trainer, to feel a ride simulating a cold race-day climate while living in the heat outdoors. there’s great benefit to training in


situations resembling what race day might feel like or look like. Weather and environmental conditions can have a performance-altering effect on us. a fire drill or race simulation designed specifically for climate and core temperature control is a great way to learn the effects your athlete might encounter, and therefore help you establish realistic goals for racing in that condition. A 12-month training plan is


important so athletes can learn how their bodies respond to the change of seasons. this aspect alone is an


important starting point when guiding their training plan and race selection process. if they don’t manage cold waters well, their optimal race season may be late summer/early fall. if they burn up and blow up from hot temperatures, a double-peak of spring and fall may be ideal. given the growth of


our sport internationally, we don’t have to stick to summertime-only to race. this will also help you plan ahead with your athlete’s schedule; practice training in conditions that may be present on race day. give an athlete a chance to train in the rain or in another cold, wet climate, and practice training with layers of gear if necessary. athletes may also


By Cari Junge USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach


need to spend time approaching a different climate from a mental perspective. Triathlon is a gear-intensive sport, with


many tools and equipment specific to training and racing in inclement weather. It’s important to train with the gear ahead of time so it’s not new on race day. athletes can practice swimming in their wetsuits in a pool or other body of water prior to the race, as well as a neoprene cap and booties if the race allows. prioritize time with them focusing on their


swim start for these conditions as this race leg will set the stage for what’s to come. Rough waters and compromised visibility can accompany colder temperatures. pool and open water drilling for these conditions should start early on, before you add the component of water temperature. When plunging into cold water, our body reacts with cold water shock — we tense up, which results in shallow breathing. a good way to practice this might be to have your athletes ease into an ice bath or place their faces in a cold water bucket on a weekly basis leading to race day when core body temperature is normal (not right after a training session). One way to manage body temperature,


especially if you are not able to get in and acclimate to the water before the race start, is to come prepared with some pitchers of warm water to pour in the wetsuit before the start. athletes should feel for the proper amount during practice sessions that will maximize your gains when trapping the thin layer of warm water between your suit and your skin. this tip can make the difference for you to hit your swim split goal time, even when it is wet and cold. Weather matters, not only for our body-


type relative to core temperature, but also relative to our ability to tolerate stresses on the heart and other muscles. Just as in high heat, training and racing in cold temps will typically raise heart rate, forcing us to slow


PERFORMANCECOACHING | page 13


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