How to train for kart racing when the track is under 3 feet of snow

A lot of people only see karting on race weekends, and only in the summer. They don’t see the work that happens on all the other days. I want to share what training looks like, because this part matters just as much as race day.

I think it’s good to be open about the work that goes into racing. That way, other young racers, or people thinking about racing, know what it really takes to get ready for the season.

Why do kart racers train in the off-season?

Download training calendar sample

As a junior driver, my goal isn’t just going fast. It’s also learning how to be consistent and build good training habits. Sometimes having an ex-competitive athlete for a mom is a good thing. And sometimes it means you spend your time after school training instead of goofing off 😅

There’s a saying my mom likes to use, “What gets measured gets done.” When we set up my off-season training program, we also set up ways to measure it. There is a plan for every week and I have a calendar with checkboxes to remind me to do it.

Off-track work builds on-track skills

Goodwood turn 1 is buried under there

It’s indoor training for now because Toronto, where I live and Goodwood Kartways, where I race, are both buried under a ton of snow. 

I do spend time on the simulator just for fun, but also I have two programs that train specific racing skills. SIM Session A is for control and consistency and SIM Session B is for corner entry and apex accuracy. It helps me understand why a lap is good or bad, not just whether or not it’s fast.

Reaction time training is an important part of my routine ⏱️ I use tools like BlazePods and ball drop drills to work on these skills. I do core and neck strength workouts too 🏋️ Karting is more physical than a lot of people realize. Building up reaction times and strength will help me stay in it, even if I start to get tired near the end of a race.

I have tennis and swimming lessons at Mayfair Toronto Lakeshore once a week. Those are really fun, but it’s only short bursts of running or swimming. We’re adding sessions on the stationary bike 🚲 and the treadmill🏃 to build up endurance for those long days on the track.

Overseas training trip

March training calendar

I’m traveling to the United Kingdom to train this March Break. I have a SIM coaching session with KartSim Pro at their facility at Silverstone. I’ll spend two days after that doing full-day sessions with the Protrain Racing Kart School; one day at the new Kart Silverstone facility and one day at Whilton Mill. 

These days are all marked in my training calendar, and so are days for travel and jet lag recovery. Learning new tracks, long travel days and time for recovery are all part of becoming a better racer. It’s good to train hard, but it’s better to train smart.

Spring will be here before we know it

All the training I’m doing now will help me when the snow melts and we can all get back on track. I hope this gives other drivers an idea of what goes on behind the scenes and maybe even some ideas for their own training.

Racing is fun, but my family and my sponsors are spending lots of time and money to support my passion, so taking it seriously is also a responsibility. I’m excited to keep learning and improving, one day and one training session at a time.

My racing journey is possible thanks to the generous support of my parents and my sponsors: Durham Wealth Planning Group, NGD Services and Clarke Engineering.