Jenny Kincaid Boone

Jenny Kincaid Boone has been running since she was in eighth grade. She competed in cross country and track at Fort Defiance High School (Fort Defiance, Va.) and at Roanoke College, where she was all-ODAC in cross country for four years. When her knees and legs aren't aching from the wear of years of competition, she hits the 19 to low 20-minute range for a 5K.

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The roads are covered with ice so some resort to the Nordic track. It’s pouring down rain and 25 degrees, and you jump on a treadmill or stationary bike. John Kern of Roanoke even mixes up the treadmill workouts with aerobic classes. The weather sometimes dictates how or where we run or squeeze in a good workout. It could rain like crazy one day and sleet the next. But a running or fitness routine doesn’t have to suffer.

Running indoors

Hitting the treadmill doesn’t have to be boring. Kern said he has learned how to customize his own workouts using both the treadmill and the indoor track at the Roanoke Athletic Club. He said he might warm-up on the treadmill and then, run an interval workout of four to eight quarter-mile or 400 meter repeats.

“The treadmill is the best for lessening the impact,” said Kern, who runs outside on some days and inside on other days.

Runners World suggests similar treadmill workouts, such as running a hill pyramid for 30 minutes. This involves starting out with a 5-minute warm-up at a 0 percent incline, then increasing the platform by 2 percent every 6 minutes. After three increases, topping out at a 6 percent incline, lower the platform in 1 percent increments and run for 1 minute at each level. Finish up with 2 minutes at a 0 percent incline.

Other machines at a health club make good additions to running workouts. Cool down with a 20-minute ride on the stationary bike or warm-up on the elliptical machine. Kern said he even uses an aerobic class at the RAC to warm-up for some runs.

Circuit training

Roanoke College cross country and track coach Finn Pincus often incorporates circuit training into team practices. Circuit training involves moving from different exercise stations in a health club or in a large area at your home. The stations might include push-ups, abdominal exercises, wall squats, lunges or wind sprint. The key to building endurance with this kind of routine is not to spend longer than 30 to 45 seconds at each station and don’t take any rest when moving from each one, Pincus said.

Get wet

Swimming laps is one of the most well-known workouts for the pool. But if you’re not a fan of the breast stroke, try aqua jogging. It is a form of running in deep water where your feet cannot touch the pool floor. Aqua jogging puts less stress on legs and joints, Pincus said.

The track and cross country teams at Roanoke College also will try a technique that involves holding onto the side of the pool and kicking as hard as they can for a certain period of time. Pincus said they alternate doing freestyle kicks on their stomachs and the backstroke kicks on their backs.

At home

Your house might hold a surprising avenue for fitness. Some runners, like Amy Rockhill of Roanoke, jump on a Nordic Track when the roads are icy or it is extremely windy outside. Some people also might own a treadmill.

Pincus said another way to get a strong indoor workout involves running up and down stairs, if you have them in your home. He suggests carrying gallon-size jugs filled with sand as hand weights for an upper body workout.

Tips for exercising indoors:

• Remember to drink water

• Know your heart rate. Estimate your own exertion or wear a heart-rate monitor. Don’t trust a cardio machine to keep track of your heart rate.

• Know your goal is with the workout

• Learn the proper form on a cardio machine or with weights

Source: Runner’s World

Local races:

Feb. 26: Blacksburg Classic 10 mile and 5K

March 5: Explore Park Trail Run, 5K and 10K, Roanoke

March 19: Roanoke Catholic Shamrock Distance Run, 5K, Roanoke