Outdoor racing has come to a brief close. You raced all spring and summer and made it through the fall classics. Now, it’s time to hang up the skates and gain back that motivation to train and race by not skating at all!

Of course if you’re a pro, you’re not taking much time away from skating at all. In 2 weeks time you’re back at indoor practice. Just a few weeks later you’re competing again. But for most of us who race for fun and fitness, it’s a good idea to hang your skates where you can’t reach them. What I like to do this time of the year is rest, recover from those injuries that I have been masking all year and do other stuff! While you’re resting, recovering and healing, you’re also maintaining aerobic fitness and building a new motivation to skate.

For me, October is a skate-free month. There are a few good events in early October but I either skip them or just show up for support. After that though I hang up the skates completely for 3 to 4 weeks. I don’t have any training schedule at all. I do get out on the mountain or road bike a bit but the focus is fun. I don’t look at it as a workout but more of a recreational event. As November rolls around I start getting a little more serious about regular workouts 3 to 4 times per week but these workouts still don’t include very much skating. I’m just thinking about my basic endurance base and having fun with mountain biking in the fall when the weather and foliage in New York is best! I’ve found that by the time indoor skating is really rocking, I have the motivation to begin another long winter of training.

What to do each month

December

Too damn cold to skate outside besides 1or 2 days you get on a mild year. Skating indoor is a great way to keep your skating muscles contracting while you fix all those bad habits you learned in the season. Your coach will probably be working on endurance and strength base as he / she is making you a better skater technically. Two sessions per week is enough while you continue the endurance training outside. For this I like cross-country skate skiing. It is the perfect technical complement to speed skating and breaks up the monotony of mountain biking. Of course you have to have snow but that usually isn’t a problem in the northeast. This is also the time of the year to begin a good strength program either with weights or through dryland work. Since dryland is offered in my indoor skating club, I get to the gym only to improve overall strength. Again twice per week is fine in harmony with indoor practice and biking or skiing.

January

Still too cold to be skating in Central Park so indoor skating continues twice or 3 times per week as you increase the miles on the bike. By this time you have a good strength base from the gym and dryland but you’re still not skating very much. Swimming is also a great cross training activity during the winter. I like to get to the pool twice per week for a long endurance swim. Thirty minutes to 1 hour of moderate intensity is a great endurance base builder. You will get strong in a different way than skating but that’s what you’re trying to do: stay away from skating.

February

Time to get your butt in gear! No more time off the skates needed. In fact you’re probably jonesing to skate. Between the cycling, mountain biking, swimming, running, weight training and skiing you’re in good overall shape. No, you probably could not compete in an inline event and be happy with your performance but so what. It’s winter! What you possess now is a base of endurance and strength and a huge motivation to skate. Some skaters that never hung up the skates are experiencing burnout while you’re just getting started. Since you did your homework on the indoor track, you won’t have to re-learn how to skate.

March

3 days on the indoor track is great but now you can add an outdoor session when weather permits. Cycling can continue thru spring but swimming and weights take a backseat until next fall. You could continue to cross train but with the added skating sessions you won’t have time. March is a big month for me with volume of training: 4-5 hours cycling, 6 hours indoor and 3-4 hours road skating. The indoor coach has the team doing tons of speed work so I don’t hammer on the skates or the bike outdoors.

April

In shape yet? You better be because racing is upon us. You may not have a lot of speed at this early part of the season but you’re strong in a pack. Not many skaters are fast in April and if they are then either they are a lot faster than you are at any time of the year or they will be dragging their butt across the line in the fall classics.

May

At this point I’m just starting to add the speed and intervals to outdoor workouts. At the same time I am sick of indoor skating. I move outside for good. I continue cycling for endurance events in September and to break up the routine of skating everyday.

June, July, August & September

June, July, August and September are time for racing! Training is not over but the more you can race the less you have to train. In Holland, the Dutch skaters have it good; they are able to race 2 or 3 times per week so their summer training becomes recovery cycling and rest. After 30-40 races you’re ready to hide your skates again.