Winter wonderland Whether running on a hard frost, snow or just against a sun that’s low on the horizon, wintertime provides some magical landscapes that are a joy to run through. And it usually means fewer people around to spoil the view, so get out there and enjoy. Kilian Jornet enjoys training in a winter landscape. © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com Running at night Running at night brings its own rewards. Arm yourself with a decent headtorch, hit your favorite trails and you’ll be amazed by how different the experience seems. Discover your noctural inner self and enjoy the new view it gives. Running at night is also good for your running. Less reliant on vision for foot placement, it forces you to tune into your other senses. Eating cake When you exercise in the cold you burn more calories. Consider it a free ticket to eat more cake – and other calorific goodies. Stuck for inspiration. Check out Emelie Forsberg’s homemade recipes for buns, pancakes and cookies. “The classic saffron bun for Christmas or Lucia is my favorite. I can eat so many of them,” she says. Get the recipe here. © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com Getting hot and steamy Never has the sauna or steam room felt so good as after a winter run. With Suunto’s global HQ situated in Finland – the cultural capital of saunas – we are naturally huge fans of them. Deep sweating has numerous health benefits, from recovery to flushing toxins from your system. And after you just jumped in an ice bath or dived in some snow, you’ll appreciate them as hot as possible. Focus on strength training In summer there’s really no excuse for getting outside, which is why winter is such a good opportunity to focus on body conditioning and strength training. Get yourself down to the gym and sign up to some circuit training, pilates or weights – and you’ll feel the benefits in time for spring. Good things to work on for runners include pelvic stability, core strength and stretching. © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com Rest Yes, sometimes the only way to get stronger is to rest. Like really rest and recover from that recurring injury. It’s something Suunto ambassador Ryan Sandes knows about. He’s currently taking some time off training to get back to full strength. “It’s a common worry that if you can't train you will lose your fitness and not be ready for an upcoming race, but I believe often the body knows best, and the time off from training helps it to fully recover and get strong,” he told us recently. Read the full article here. Focus on technique Winter is not a time to focus on personal bests, not when the ground’s muddy or there’s snow underfoot. So don’t fight it – embrace it and use the slower pace to focus on your running technique. If you have a good and balanced form you should be able to run on ice, over wet slippery wooden bridges or through mud and broken ground without problem. Try to imagine a straight line between where your foot lands, your hip and shoulder. More important than whether you heel strike or forefoot strike is where the foot lands in relation to the rest of your body. For more technique tips from Carmichael Training Systems, follow this link.    Main image: © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com

We touched base with Carmichael Training System’s endurance coach Nick White and got 7 gems of wisdom that will turn you into a vertical speed machine. Emelie Forsberg pushing hard in the Andorra vertical skimo race. © ISMF Press Office Consistency and volume Having a solid aerobic fitness base is an important prerequisite to becoming faster on vertical ascents, so consistency and volume should remain central to any training programme. This base makes focused work on your lactate threshold and V02 max possible. Improve your V02 The goal here is to maximize how much oxygen your body can process and deliver to your working muscles. Doing short, high intensity interval workouts, some of them ascents, are the way we achieve this. Match each interval with an equal recovery time. Here are some ‘go-to’ workouts that should be done two to three times a week with a rest day between each session: 9x 2min at maximum effort/2min easy recovery 6x 3min at maximum effort/3min easy recovery 5x 4min at maximum effort/4min easy recover Easier option: 5x 30s at maximum effort/30s easy recovery Few athletes have a V02 max as high as Suunto ambassador Kilian Jornet. © ISMF Press Office Focusing on lactate threshold If it’s a trail race or a mountain run with big vertical ascents that you’re training for, then it’s also critical to focus on your lactate threshold. Do this through longer duration interval workouts done at a slightly lower intensity than the V02 training outlined above. The goal is to work consistently until you can't work at that intensity anymore. After rest and recovery, your body will become stronger. Intervals should be between 10 to 30 minutes in length, with half the recovery time, and a total training time of around 45 to 60 minutes. For example: 4-5x 12min intervals, with 6min rest between 3-4x 15min intervals, with 8min rest between 2-3x 20min intervals, with 10min rest between Both of the above interval types, V02 and lactate threshold, are necessary, whether you’re doing a vertical kilometer race or a longer mountain run. Each one is specific to a different aspect of vertical speed. Ryan Sandes training in his local hills in Cape Town. © Craig Kolesky/Red Bull Content Pool Match your gradient While it's a good general rule to match the gradients in your training to that of your event, it’s also important to mix it up so you're not hitting the same hill over and over again. Don’t overdo the hills! Not all of your interval workouts should be done on hills. Do them once or twice a week on hills and the other days train on rolling or flatter terrain. © ISMF Press Office Keep it specific At least some of your training should be on terrain that’s similar to what your race will be on. If at least some of your training is done on similar trails or hills, then you can be sure you’re developing the necessary muscular strength and technical skills as well. Watch your weight Body weight is obviously an important factor in the vertical ascent equation. A heavier runner will require a lot more energy and force to climb a hill at the same speed as a lighter runner. It really is a power-to-weight ratio issue at its core. You go uphill faster either by gaining more power, or becoming lighter, or both. So go easy on the cake! MAIN IMAGE: © ISMF Press Office

To coincide with the launch of Suunto Ambit3 Vertical we list 7 incredible, awesome and quad-killing vertical races and challenges to sign up to in 2016. Register now, suffer later – you know you’ll be grateful afterwards. VK Tromsø Skyrace Why: It goes from sea to summitWhere: NorwayVertical: 1km “We cannot think of a better place than the mountains of Tromsø for a skyrace: a place to run between the sky and the earth and to feel freedom,” so says the official text for this newcomer to the race calendar. “You start just near the sea and you finish on the top of the mountain with a very technical climb,” says last year’s second place finisher Rémi Bonnet. “It's so fun!” Find out more here.© Kilian Jornet Red Bull 3 VK Why: More altitude to climb, therefore more funWhere: ItalyVertical: 3,000 m Most vertical kilometer races are just that – a race up a mountain for 1,000 m. But unsurprisingly for the ubiquitous energy drinks company, they had to take things one step further, creating a vertical race of 3,000 m up Italy’s Rocciamelone peak, the Red Bull 3 VK. Each vertical km is special, says Rémi Bonnet, who smashed the record to win last year in 2h 1m 57s. “The first is very runable, the second very steep and the last is very technical.” Fancy something shorter? There’s always the Red Bull 400, a straight-up sprint up one of Europe’s ski-jumps. Norseman Why: Think of it as an Ironman but with attitude, or should that be altitude?Where: NorwayVertical: 4,600 m If it’s vertical ascent you like, the legendary Norseman triathlon is for you. “The cycling leg ascends 1,200 m in the beginning and after that it stays high,” says pro triathlete Teemu Lemmettylä who took part last year. In total the cycling stage packs 3,000 m of ascent but the real killer is saved until the last 17 km of the run which rises 1,600 m to the summit of Gaustatoppen. “The Norseman is unique. In addition to the vertical, the coldness, weather and slippery surface challenges every athlete but the landscape is something you never forget,” adds Lemmettylä. Mt Ventoux Why: It’s the classic Alpine ascent steeped in historyWhere: FranceVertical: 1,611 m Few cycling climbs are as steeped in history as the switchback roads leading to the summit of Mt Ventoux. At 21.8 km, the ascent is long and torturous and often into headwinds, as it winds from the town of Bédoin to the 1,912 m high summit. But to ride to the top is to ride alongside cycling’s legends. It’s a classic for the bucket list – and there to be ticked off. This is the mountain that famously claimed the life of British cyclist Tom Simpson. He collapsed with exhaustion during the ascent in the 1967 Tour aged 29. You’ll pass his memorial on the way up, provided you haven’t collapsed yourself. Patrouille de Glacier Why: It’s the classic ski-mountaineering challengeWhere: SwitzerlandVertical: 3,994 m Few events are as well matched for the cumulative altitude-counting capabilities of the Suunto Ambit3 Vertical as the Patrouille de Glacier. Held every two years, the race is one of the ‘Grand Tour’ ski-mountaineering races of the Alps – and with almost 4,000 m to climb, there’s a lot of vertical to log. Originally designed as a test of endurance for Swiss alpine troops, the race is still run by the Swiss military but open to civilians as well. It sees teams race across some of the highest mountains of the Alps from Zermatt to Verbier.© Patrouille des Glaciers via Flickr Great Himalayan Trail Why: It crosses the greatest mountain chain of the world. Need another reason?Where: Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan and TibetVertical: 150,000 m Now if you feel like logging some serious vertical, there’s only one place to go – and that’s the Himalayas. The Great Himalayan Trail is not a set route but rather a loosely defined set of trails that follow the spine of the world’s highest mountains. Passo dello Stelvio Why: It offers 48 hairpin bendsWhere: ItalyVertical: 1,808 m The legendary Fausto Coppi, nicknamed Il Campionissimo (champion of champions), said after cycling the Passo dello Stelvio that he “felt he was going to die” during the climb. It’s easy to understand why. The ride offers 24 km of uphill grind from Prato. The endless switchbacks have been torturing cyclists for decades but like moths to a flame, every year they keep coming back for more, entranced by its allure and sheer vertical challenge. Don’t forget to hit the start button on your watch at the bottom. © Jussarian via Flickr Mt Marathon Race Why: Legendary local characterWhere: AlaskaVertical: 815 m The Mt Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska is one of those races that have epic status among local fans. It’s not the highest, but it is steep, with those 815 m gained in just 1.4 km. Does it live up to the hype? Last year Suunto ambassadors Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg turned up to give it a go, both setting new records in the process. Afterwards, Kilian said he was not disappointed. “It was fun, so beautiful. It’s technical. It’s fun. It’s difficult.’’ What more could you want from a vertical race?The Suunto Ambit3 Vertical is the multisport GPS watch for planning and tracking your elevation gain. Read more at www.suunto.com/ambit3vertical MAIN IMAGE: © Damiano Levati/Red Bull Content Pool

Understand there’s no magic solution Breathable, waterproof, windproof – remember there’s no magic gear solution that works for everything. It’s possible to go cross-country skiing in -15ºC in just a base layer and shell. Wear that while ice climbing and you’ll start turning blue pretty quickly. Equally, you may need all the layers you can wear in +5ºC if it’s wet and windy. Remember there are always compromises – and you’ll never get it totally right. Greg Hill pushes through an icy day. © Bruno Long Experiment with what works No two people are the same – a big guy with a lot of mass may be quite happy in little more than a t-shirt while if you have the figure of an ironman athlete, you may need an insulated jacket and mittens to enjoy the same level of warmth. Experiment between synthetic and wool base layers. If you’re a copious sweater, you may lean towards the former. If you need the warmth, go for wool. Bring spares - of everything! There’s nothing better after a strenuous hike to a summit peak than ripping off a sweat-soaked base layer and putting on a fresh one. OK, the stripping-off part is not so fun – especially if it’s windy! – but we promise it’s worth it. On longer days, taking your boots off and swopping socks will also make your smiles last longer. Change your gloves regularly, see below… © Bruno Long How many gloves is ok? How many pairs of heels is it ok for a girl to have – probably not as many as the number of gloves it’s ok for the winter sports athlete to have. Have a look in any winter climber’s closet and you will find dozens and dozens of pairs. Take two to three with you on the hill. Cheap fleece gloves are awesome for when you’re moving and in between technical sections. Switch gloves between stages, depending on your activity. Keep the spare pair inside your jacket to keep warm. Still have cold hands? See #6 & #7. Dress for 15 minutes into your activity Remember that overheating and sweat in particular is the #1 enemy. The best way to chill a bottle of white wine is to stick it in a bucket of iced water and let the breeze do the rest. Dress for how you’ll be in 15 minutes time not how you’ll start. Better to begin a bit chilled and then warm up, than start pouring with sweat after a few minutes and have to stop and shed layers. Put a hat (or anything) on Since scientists debunked the myth that 70% of your body heat is lost through your head, the old adage that ‘if you’ve got cold hands you should put a hat on’ seems out of date. But it’s still a valid reminder that you should think ‘big picture’ when it comes to cold hands. Hands and feet get cold because the rest of your body’s cold; so putting on a warm layer, wearing a hat and pulling up your hood is still a case of old school is best. Remember also there’s no magic pair of gloves out there. Cure your cold hands for good! Always get cold hands or feet? If you’ve suffered from a cold weather injury (such as frostnip) chances are you’ll battle cold hands the next time the mercury drops, but contrary to conventional wisdom, there is something you can do about it (provided it’s not something else like Raynaud’s disease, in which case check with your physician). Doctors at Britain’s Institute of Naval Medicine discovered that rewarming your hands or feet in a warm bath over a course of several weeks can completely reverse the effects of a cold weather injury. Fill a foot bath with water at 40ºC, have a slug of your favorite tipple (alcohol opens up the blood vessels) then soak your feet or hands for 20 minutes. Repeat every night for several weeks. MAIN IMAGE: © Bruno Long

Power meter measures the amount of physical effort needed to perform a certain activity, like running. The effort is measured in watts. Training with power isn’t anything new in cycling, pros have been using power meters to target their training since the 80s, but only recently power meters have started to break-through in running. The main advantage gained with a power meter is precision. The power meter reveals exactly how hard you really work and how much power you produce. It is also easy to see progress when analyzing the watts. 3 BENEFITS FOR RUNNING WITH POWER 1. Get immediate information on your effort. Power reacts to your effort faster than heart rate and e.g. on uphills and intervals it reacts immediately. Pacing yourself using running power is more accurate than following heart rate or running pace. 2. Follow your running efficiency using running power. The lower power you use to run on a certain pace in the same conditions, the more efficient you are. 3. Evaluate how tough a certain running course is. As running power is not affected by heart rate you can classify a running course in terms of running power and follow how your heart rate and running pace develop on that course. ALL AMBIT3 WATCHES ARE NOW COMPATIBLE WITH STRYD All Ambit3 watches are compatible with Stryd power meters for running. The power meter is paired as a heart rate belt and measures heart rate and running power in watts. (Please note that although compatible with Stryd power meter for running, the Ambit3 Run is not compatible with power meters in general.) In addition to pairing the Stryd power meter, you should adjust your sport modes also to include power. RUNNING POWER WORKS WITH MOST AMBIT2 WATCHES TOO Stryd power meter for running is compatible with all Ambit2 watches except Ambit2 Run. With Ambit2 watches, the Stryd power is paired as a heart rate belt and a Power POD and sports modes must be set to search for both sensors. READ ALSO: 10 AMBIT HACKS FOR RUNNERS

We all know that yoga is a good way to stretch and recover in between your training sessions. But which exercises in particular work best for runners? We asked yoga teacher and triathlete Sarah Odell. For all postures, aim to hold for a minimum of 30 seconds or five deep breaths. The Butterfly The Butterfly is really good for opening up the hips. It stretches the inner thighs and brings release to the lower back, particularly if you have tight hamstrings. If you find it difficult to keep your back straight, sit on a cushion, block or book to raise your hips so they’re higher than your knees. In the image below I’m sitting on a block. Banarasana: the lunge (variation 1) This is great for tight hip flexors and hamstrings. Make sure the front knee is directly over the ankle and also that it’s not rolling inwards. The knee should be in line with the second toe. If you’re on a hard surface, place a towel or cushion under your back knee. To increase the stretch, place your hands on the inside of your front foot, and to go deeper still, bring your elbows down as well. Banarasana: the lunge (variation 2) Here you’re getting an intense stretch into the quadricep muscles at the front of the thigh. It’s important to keep your hip bones facing forwards. Start with one arm and then try to catch your foot with both. It’s also great for the front of the chest. Push your foot away from your hands to increase the stretch. Malasana: the squat The is a great stretch for the ankles, groin and back. If your heels don’t touch the ground you can place a folded mat or blanket underneath, as I am in the image, for better balance to hold the posture longer. By placing the elbows against the knees you are stretching the inner thighs. Think about lengthening the tail bone towards the ground, keeping your back long and your chest open. Viparita Karani: legs up wall Swing your legs up, making sure you’re flat against the wall. If you have tight hamstrings, place a folded blanket underneath your buttocks and lower back to lift your hips. Let the legs fall out to the side and relax your upper body. If you have just come back from a run, this is very restorative, helps to flush the legs, relax the back and let the blood flow freely back to the heart. Combined with some deep breathing it’s also a great way to relax before going to bed. Vary this pose with the legs together or bend your knees, bringing the soles of the feet together, as in the Butterfly (see top). Sarah Odell is a former adventure racer and triathlete. She teaches yoga and pilates at various health clubs and retreats. MAIN IMAGE: © zooom.at/bergermarkus.com