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Share  Tweet Wednesday 14th February 2018

Elite Athlete Winter Training Series - Interview #7: with Graham Gristwood

Winter Training and Motivation: Athlete Focus

The temperature is cold, and the days are shorter. Struggling to maintain the motivation for training or orienteering regularly? You're not alone. Getting yourself out on cold dark mornings and evenings takes a lot more motivation than it might do in July.

Pick up some tips and see what makes up a typical training week for some of our top elite athletes this winter with our elite athlete focus feature series.

Athlete name:  Graham Gristwood

Athletes club:  Forth Valley Orienteers

Athletes age: M34

Graham Gristwood (left) out training

Athletes biggest achievement?

World Orienteering Championships Relay Gold 2008

More recently, World Cup 8th place Grindelwald 2017.

Typical training week over winter (including mileage, terrains, etc)?

Monday – easy running

Tuesday – hill session and recovery on spinning bike

Wednesday – Night orienteering

Thursday – easy running and intervals on golf course

Friday – easy running/spinning

Saturday – hills or orienteering

Sunday – long run (preferably in the hills, but sometimes forest roads)

As much training off road as possible, and in terrain at least once or twice per week. Also hot yoga 2-3 times per week (new this winter) for strength/flexibility/recovery.

Technical training over the winter

At least once per week all winter – usually night orienteering, preferably twice. Also some very intense training camps and weekends with SEDS / Kalevan Rasti.

Top 3 tips for staying motivated in winter.

I enjoy my training, so it is almost never a problem to get out and do it.

I also like to think about the big competitions that I want to do well in during 2018, and I think about staying on top of the domestic races for another year!

Athletes favourite motivational quote.

"Go hard or go home" (Jon Duncan) is a good one.

 

Thank you, Graham.  British Orienteering and members would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best with your training throughout the rest of the year.

 

Read more

Elite Athlete Winter Training Series of Interviews
More information - here.

Interview #1: with Charlotte Ward - here
Humberside and Lincolnshire Orienteers, Sheffield University Orienteering Club

Interview #2: with Kris Jones - here
Forth Valley Orienteers, Swansea Bay Orienteering Club, Lillomarka OL, Swansea Harriers, Dundee Hawkhill Harriers

Interview #3: with Alice Leake - here
Airienteers

Interview #4: with Alasdair McLeod - here
Airienteers

Interview #5: with Jenny Ricketts - here
Edinburgh University Orienteering Club, Mar Orienteering club

Interview #6: with Hector Haines - here
IFK Lidingö SOK

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