Dark nights and freezing wet long runs are enough to make you want to book a warm-weather training break but are they only for elite runners?
If you’re in training for a Spring marathon, you’ll have got some long runs planned over the winter. Maintaining motivation when it is cold and dark in the mornings before you head off for work, and dark again when you arrive home in the depths of winter is tough work.
When your evening training requires layers and head torches, it may be time to head off abroad for a warm-weather training camp to get some good miles under your belt in more favourable conditions.
We have the perfect answer for you – whether you are a seasoned marathon runner looking to enhance your performance or this is your first marathon and need lots of advice and support, training in Portugal is perfect.
The physiological benefits from a week of dedicated training and recovery are obvious whilst warmer weather means a reduced risk of injury too.
Vitamin boost
Simply being out in the sunshine during winter months increases your exposure to vitamin D, crucial for mental health & performance - many of our winter and summer training habits compound the lack of vitamin D available to our bodies.
A lot of people train indoors and even those who go outside often run early in the morning or late in the evening on a commute. Or they wear tight-fitting compression-type clothing and an SPF that prevents exposure to the sun. For runners from northern climates, having some warm sunlight in the winter, will help improve your Vitamin D levels . While you must still be careful to cover up in strong sunshine, it’s vital you get some sun exposure as having low vitamin D correlates to higher illnesses, poor bone health and lower strength-adaptation.
Recharge your mind
It can be a very welcome break from the harshness of a winter workload. Getting away to the sun in March breaks up the winter grind and gives us something to look forward to during those tougher winter sessions
Refocus
It can also provide runners with the space to re-focus, time to set goals for the upcoming season with our on-hand coaches and the opportunity to reflect. Consequently, many find that performance improves almost instantly.
Relax and train well
The training camp effect can come simply from being away from regular life. When your schedule is cleared, when you are more relaxed and have sufficient time to recover properly, your performance rises more dramatically that it does at home.
Learn from others and have fun!
Psychologically, a social training camp can be a great way to build relationships, with both our coaches and other runners. You’ll also have time to relax by the pool, take cliff top walks and great local restaurants to refuel in the evenings.
So if you have spent more time looking at artificial than real light lately, need a bit of motivation and can take a week off real life to focus on your running with other friendly runners, a warm-weather training camp may be exactly what you need. For full details of our March warm-weather training camp email us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or click here
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