3 Ways to Race Indoors This Winter
Climb a Skyscraper
Instead of running long this winter, run up. Up a skyscraper, that is. In cities such as Houston (January 26), Boston (February 2), New York (February 6), and Chicago (February 24), participants sprint to the top of iconic buildings. “The fittest road racers would find stair racing to be a humbling experience,” says Melissa Moon, a New Zealand runner who has won the women’s division of the Empire State Building Run-Up twice, with a personal best of 12:39. “Your heart is racing, your lungs are burning, your quads are screaming, and all you can hear is the heavy breathing of competitors around you.” (Charity spots are still available for the Empire State Building Run-Up!)
Work your way to a new PR with these Total-Body Workouts you can do indoors
Circle a Track
Weather is never a concern at the Zoom! Yah, Yah! Marathon—even though it’s held in Northfield, Minnesota, on January 6. Its indoor track setting stays 54 to 64 degrees—with no snow, wind, or ice. Now in its eighth year, Zoom! Yah, Yah! is the oldest of roughly six indoor marathons in North America. To avoid track congestion, it’s open to just 44 runners, each of whom clocks 150 laps (counted by volunteers), changing direction every 30 minutes. Bonus: Music plays nonstop, and bathrooms and aid stations are never more than a few steps away.
If you’re looking for a warmer way to train for these races, try one of our Treadmill Workouts for Winter.
Conquer a Triathlon
Swim in a pool, cycle on a Spin bike, and then run on a treadmill or track, and—voila!—you’re a triathlete! Indoor tris, held in gyms, attract seasoned triathletes looking to maintain fitness in all three sports as well as newbies who are intrigued, but intimidated, by the multisport event, says Tony Rich, who coaches an indoor triathlon class at a Boston YMCA. “Indoor tris are a good way for people to try the triathlon in a controlled environment and build confidence before taking on an open-water swim or hilly bike course,” he says. “For me, it’s a way to get in quality workouts rather than going out and sloshing through snow and ice.” Want to give an indoor tri a try? To find an event near you, visit indoortri.com or check with your local YMCA. (Are you ready for a tri? Find out what kind of shape you’re in, with these 10 Quick Fitness Self-Tests.
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