Cold Water & Winter Obstacle Race Training

So this is just my thoughts on winter training and what could possibly help you get through your winter races and training effectively. Also I recommend that you try to always train with a training partner or training group when being silly and jumping in to burns, ponds, lakes or whatever. I have put in as many links for each item of equipment/kit as I could. So anyway....


In 2015 myself and 2  fellows I had been training decide to attempt our first winter Obstacle Race, McTough Guy(now known as MacTuff). We had been taking part in obstacle races for around a year or so and we were very much looking for tougher and tougher challenges. Knowing that I didn't take to the cold weather and water naturally I knew I needed to prepare! So my research began, and judging on how well we performed and how well we have since adjusted to cold water and tougher weather conditions I thought I would share my two cents on what has worked for my team and I.



You will have no doubt have read the tales of hypothermia and adverse reactions to the cold at some races, such as Tough Guy the original, The Nuts Challenge etc. And on completing McTough Guy, it was crazy seeing people suffering from the cold, and suffering bad. And this was without any true full submersion in water! I felt fine with the weather through the race( as we had thoroughly prepared) but once I stopped, it was crazy feeling the effects, such as shaking without even realising it. But it was very mixed on how people reacted. In the changing/shower block people were violently shaking and were unable to strip. Though some seemed to warm back up fine. For me i think it was all about preperation. And with Mactuff and Tough Guy the original coming up for me this coming January, I will be doing the exact same, if not more, preperation again.


Adaptation:

Being adeverse to the cold I started looking and googling to see how I could adapt to the shock of cold water and to the cold weather in general.

I decided that a large part of it all was going to be mental toughness. My reaction to cold water at races was, well, over the top to say the least. Artic Enima, water slides etc, would all send me screaming and shouting, soon followed by blue lips and shaking, although that was mainly due to gear (more on that later). So in September 2015, I had Total Warrior. They have their fair share of water to run and jump in to, and so I decided I would start here. I accepted that it was going to be fresh, and attacked it hard. And with this acceptance, there was less of a shock and more enjoyment.

I then stumbled on this article: http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/cold_acclimation_human.php


Which although I never had to adapt to anything like the temperatures mentioned, gave me some food for thought. Basically we all have temperatures that we get comfortable with. But we can acclimatize to new environmental changes  with gradual changes.

What I did to acclimatize:

• Wear less clothing. Even when cold outside I would wear a t-shirt or lighter clothing.
• Crank on the Car A/C. To get my hands more used to the cold, when I was driving I would drop the temp to its lowest and focus the fans on to my hands.
• Gradually lower the temperature of the house. Lower the heating. Simple really.
• Drop the shower temp. Every couple of days I would gradually reduce the temperature of the shower, a half notch at a time. This was probably one of the most effective methods for me.

Now, on top of all this, once a week, at least, we would meet up at the park we train at, and start to wade through burns, do press ups in to the water and have a dunk in to the pond. I'd recommend you get in to burns or running water as it tends to be colder. As soon as you are out of the water it is vital to get moving again.  This will get you used to running when you are cold. A hard thing to get used to is the wet cold feet. It can feel like lead bricks at the end of your legs. So getting moving is vital to get the blood flowing again.

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Equipment:

So, like we all do, we searched the forums, listened to runners of previous winter obstacle races, and done some trial and error when it came to the gear we chose to train and race in. It all really depends how well you already feel with the cold.

My combination varies depending on the amount of water and temperature of the race.
Also this is order I wear the items of clothing in.  

• Merino Wool baselayer (Can be pricey but search around and you can get a good deal. It's probably your best item of kit for keeping you warm.)
• Neoprene Wet Suit Vest (depending on amount of water and length of time in the water)
• Tech T-shirt (any technical water wicking t-shirt)
• Neoprene Gloves(O'Neill Surfing gloves with grip have been a revelation.)
• Compression Underwear (depends on what make you prefer and level of compression. It is said it can help avoid cramping (not proven though) )
• Shorts (Any good running shorts. They probably dont make my good old adidas pair anymore. A good trail running short is good though. )
• Merino(or smart wool) Wool Socks (another vital bit of kit for me)
• Inov8 x-talon 212' or 190's(190's drain better/212's better protection)
• Neoprene Beanie (my O'Neill has been a blessing when having to fully submerse in water, or heavy heavy rain. keeps nice and warm.)
• Merino Wrag/Or any wrag or buff (keeps the neck warm without over heating)

Other options:

• Winter running leggings (normal are good too) keeps the legs a little warmer.
• Neoprene Jacket for extra warmth (Philip swears by his)
• Varity of rash vests thermal/neoprene.
• Neoprene Socks (I have tried as others had recommended, but even at their thinnest mm's you'd need to have extra sized shoes for them to fit comfortably. Also feet heavy with water.)
• Beanie/hat
• Dryrobe (a seriously valuable piece of kit post race! gets you warm, drys you and you can get changed inside of it!)

This is just my choice of products and brands and there are thousands of other brands that you can choose from and find with a little research!

So thats how I and my team deal with the winter season and the cold weather and water! Hope it helps a little, and can answer any questions at all in more detail. Enjoy.