For athletes in the Midwest, we are pretty much only given two options on how to handle winter: adapt or head to the sidelines until spring.
Since the latter really isn’t a consideration, most people find ways to keep their training on track by heading indoors when the weather outside gets frightful. And, thanks to the growth of events such as indoor marathons and triathlons, they can keep their competitive juices flowing, too.
The growth of endurance sports has led to an increase in the demand for off-season indoor competition. While it is still a bit tough to find indoor races for runners, triathletes are finding more opportunities to enhance their winter training through events sponsored by local gyms or fitness clubs.
Even though indoor events can’t always bring the same kind of intensity and excitement as an outdoor race on a beautiful day in the summer, there are still plenty of benefits. Of course, the biggest benefit is the ability to continue to compete head-to- head with others. Highly motivated people aren’t easily able to flip the switch to the off position just because it is cold outside, and training alone doesn’t always cut it.
Veteran triathlete and 15-year coach Jennifer Harrison, who lives in the western suburbs, has participated in more than 20 indoor triathlons, and likes the fact it gives her a chance to ratchet up the intensity she couldn’t get training alone.
“They offer an opportunity to race in the winter, when there is nothing else going on here,” Harrison says. “I like the toughness of them and racing in the middle of the winter gives me an oppor- tunity to go ‘hard’ against competition in the race versus in my basement, solo!”
Indoor Race Calendar
From a coaching standpoint, Harrison likes her athletes to participate in indoor triathlons for a chance to break up the monotony of training, and race a short distance without compromising the base phase of training. It’s also a chance to put in a hard training effort and having fun while doing it.
For her newer athletes, she uses these races as a simulation where they can work on some of the elements they will encounter during the season, such as running off the bike, as well as hydration and nutrition. It’s also a safer environment, as the pool is much more forgiving than the open water, for example, and equipment isn’t a concern.
Bob Jones participates in the Midwest Indoor Tri-Classics Series, a group of events put on over the winter to give athletes of all abilities a chance to train and compete in triathlons while also raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
He enjoys competing in these events because it’s a great workout and keeps his motivation up over the winter, and thanks to the volunteers and music, it’s also a lot of fun.
“For me, swimming in a pool is great because I’m not comfortable with open water just yet,” Jones says. “The other part I like is running on the [indoor] track; I’ve always loved track running, and you can see how friends and your competition are doing most of the time.”
LifeTime Fitness holds an indoor triathlon at many of its locations in early January, which caters to new participants. The event has a 10-minute swim, 30-minute stationary bike ride and 20-minute run, which gives people who are new to the sport or who are interested in trying it for the first time the chance to give it a go in a controlled environment, that involves little investment and is not as intimidating for newbies.
“[Indoor triathlons] allow beginners to try a triathlon and see if they like it,” Harrison says. “I like my beginner to intermediate athletes to do some indoor triathlons for fun. It is something fun, challenging and different.”
Indoor running events are still a bit hard to find, but more are beginning to show up on the calendar, and provide the same type of benefits in terms of training, motivation and fun.
Since indoor track races started popping up a few years ago, the popular distance is the marathon. Here in the Midwest, two events – the Icebreaker Marathon in Milwaukee and the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Marathon in Northfield, Minn. – have seemed to find their niche as popular events that look to have found permanent places on the calendar.
The Icebreaker Marathon, run at the Pettit National Ice Center, also has a half marathon, 5K and even a relay component that last year drew a total of more than 300 finishers. The Icebreaker even has a “Gold Medal Challenge” for runners who want to compete in both the half and full marathons.
The Zoom! Yah! Yah! Marathon will be run for its 12th time on Jan. 8, making it the “oldest” indoor marathon in the United States. Run on the campus of St. Olaf College, the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Is contested over 150 laps of the 282-meter track in the Tostrud Field House.
The creation of the the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Marathon was more out of necessity than anything, according to race director Dick Daymont.
“When we started this, we had people in our running club that did a lot of marathons,” Daymont says. “Being in Minnesota there aren’t any outdoor marathons nearby for several months. We’d travel to marathons in places where there was warmer weather but eventually came up with this idea. I think we have a developed good reputation for putting on a good race. It’s here and it is something to do.”
The idea has become a unique experience that so far has brought runners from 32 different states. Capped at 44 runners, the race features a pre-race meal which is attended by most of the runners the night before, aid tables at every corner of the track where runners can provide their own fluids and food, and personal timekeepers for each runner.
The timekeepers are mostly made up of members of the women’s track and cross country program, where Daymont’s wife, Chris, is a coach, as the race is a fundraiser for their programs. They provide a constant cheering section for the runners, and music is played over the loudspeakers throughout the race.
“The women are so enthusiastic,” Daymont said. “When you run by, everyone claps for you, and the kids love it when people do a dance around the cones.”
During the 150-lap race, runners change direction every 30 minutes, to avoid total monotony.
“Some people bring their families or friends, because what other marathon in the world do they get to see their runner 150 times?” Daymont adds.
In describing indoor races, many participants and online reviews tended to focus on the “fun” when describing the race, and how the laid-back atmosphere at these events is a big draw to why they do them.
