Dealing with the Strong Winds When Running
I recall running the Silverstone half marathon a number of years with my brother. A younger, slightly smaller runner ran virtually the entire race 1-2 foot behind us, protecting himself from the wind. I don’t mind helping out other runners, but he tried to sprint past us on the final leg and I have rarely felt more satisfied than when we held him off.
Here on the South Coast of England, especially along the seafront where I live where there is little protection from the wind-generated at certain times of the year, it can be very tough to get any kind of sensical time splits while training. In one direction it feels as if you are running on the spot, having your energy drained as you plough into the wind and when you turn around, it is like having someone giving you a little push along. Though the effort it takes to run into the wind is not equally rewarded by how much of a push you get coming back again.
How can we deal with the wind, especially if we have times to adhere to in our schedule? My Garmin tells me how fast I’ve gone and does not tell anyone looking at my Strava stats that there was a 25 mph wind on the seafront that morning!
Firstly, I’d say be careful and sensible. Don’t start running into heavy winds with the same type of hunger and an insatiable sense of adventure as one of those storm chaser guys you see on the telly. If you know it is going to be windy, think about streamlining yourself if possible in relation to your clothing, and be prepared to accept the wind. That is, be prepared to ease off the gas and surrender to it if need be, rather than let it drain all your energy by fighting it; which it can do quite dramatically.
Getting Your Psychology to Work For You When Running in the Wind
However, if you want to really nail the wind, then use your mind. Get your psychology to work for you when tackling the windy runs and also recognise that the wind can add some major resistance that will benefit you in the long run when you run at your event.
This hypnosis audio track combines hypnosis, your imagination and cognitions to help advance your running performance in the wind. Follow the simple steps in the comfort of your home, then start applying elements of the strategy when you are out on a windy run and notice how much easier it becomes to run in strong winds.