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Indoor workouts help maintain winter routine

So you've stocked up on winter socks, shirts, ear protection and insulated spandex running pants.

But once the thermometer really starts to drop, all that winter gear still might not be enough to convince you to brave the foul weather for a morning run.

It's important to maintain some outdoor workouts during cold months, but anyone can assemble and execute a solid winter routine indoors. It just takes a little effort and ingenuity.

Local schools and recreation centers typically offer gym facilities for students and others wishing to work out at little or no cost.

The easiest solution is joining a health club, particularly one that has a pool and an indoor track. But clubs can be expensive and are often far from the house.

If you get a little innovative, however, an indoor workout is close to home.

Perhaps most important is how you handle your road time. Relying on indoor workouts will cut your mileage substantially, so you should compensate for lost time and distance with difficulty.

One workout option is to find a staircase or a series of staircases. The best is some sort of high-rise structure or indoor stadium.

A 15-minute run up and down bleachers, stadium steps or even stairs at home can equal a good two-mile run on a flat surface. Stair workouts also build strength in your quadriceps, calves and buttocks.

Remember, the most dangerous part of stair running is the descent. You can prevent possible outer knee pain by lifting your knees higher on the way down and proceeding slowly. If you're running in a multistory stairwell, run up the stairs, but take the elevator back down. Also, limit stair workouts to one per week.

If stairs don't do it for you, gyms usually have flat surfaces for full running workouts. While you might not have the opportunity to run for long distances, focus on time and base the workout on an average minute-per-mile pace.

Even your own bedroom or living room can be an alternative workout location when the weather keeps you inside.

With little room, running in place has some benefit, particularly if you're focusing on high steps. Perform three- or four-minute intervals, bringing your knees as close to your chest as possible and pumping your arms with each step. Rest one minute between intervals.

These are no replacements for the outdoor running routine you use during warmer months. But as unpleasant as these alternatives might seem, a 12-minute workout still equals about a mile-and-a-half or more for most runners.

No one runs a three- or four-hour marathon when the temperature is freezing. But take that cold-weather equipment out for a spin once or twice, using indoor workouts as a supplement.

Christopher Prawdzik is a runner and freelance writer in Northern Virginia. E-mail him at lifelinesrunner@yahoo.com.