How a winter triathlon could help you reach your summer racing goals
Use a skate-ski-snowshoe race to boost your fitness this winter
It’s the middle of the winter, you’ve lost count of how many kilometres you have run and cycled indoors already, and you just want the outdoor training and racing season to return. The bad news is that’s still a little while away, but the good news is that, thanks to winter triathlons, you don’t have to wait for spring to race. A winter triathlon is a great way to keep fit and have some fun ahead of the spring and summer racing seasons.
What is a winter triathlon?
There are two types of winter triathlon. The first is more popular internationally, and it consists of a cross-country run, a mountain bike ride, and a cross-country ski. There are sprint and standard races. Distances can vary, but sprints are generally three to four kilometres for the run, five to six kilometres on the bike, and five or six kilometres of skiing. In the standard race, it’s normally seven to nine kilometres of running, 12 to 14 kilometres riding, and 10 to 12 kilometres on the skis.
The most popular type of winter tri in Canada is called an S3 winter triathlon. This race swaps the bike ride for a skate and usually features four to six kilometres of running, 10 to 14 kilometres of skating, and seven to nine of skiing.
Winter tri for training
Winter triathlon offers you great cross-training opportunities. There are two types of cross-country skiing: classic and skate. In a winter triathlon, racers will most often skate ski, which is a great workout for cyclists. You might not be the best skier in the race, but training to complete the event will give you a huge boost in your cycling fitness. It is the same with skating (which is why you see professional speed skaters performing well in cycling races).
No matter what type of winter triathlon you pick, you are going to be improving your endurance and fitness. You will also work your arms and back (great for swimming), your core (necessary for all three legs of a triathlon), and of course your legs (where would you be without strong leg muscles?).
All in all, training for a winter triathlon will help you crush your next summer triathlon. You might not fall in love with the sport like you did with the classic swim-bike-run race, but you’ll have fun chasing a new and unique goal.