Fall Fitness Transitioning Tips

Do you like running in the fall?

A lot of runners sing the praises of fall because they welcome the cooler temps for their runs.
Myself? Not so much.

Don't get me wrong; I do enjoy fall and the cooler temps can be pleasant. The cooler temps, though, can also be unpredictable and extreme (ummm, low-40's in the morning, high-70's in the afternoon, thank you very much).

Let's not forget the shorter days also throw in another nuance...limited daylight. My early morning runs (and occasional walks and bike rides) are now in 100% darkness. I'm still getting them done, but the change of seasons dictates I change a few habits for the time-being.

Taper - Yay or Nay?

How do YOU feel about Taper?

Dread it? Love it? Hate to love it?

Many runners dread the taper, fearing they will lose some of their fitness gains, endurance or speed by easing up on their training.

Myself? I'm a fan.

Going with Plan B

If at first you don't succeed, go with Plan B (or something like that).

How's that for a strategy? This week had me switching my plans around, pretty much on the daily. Not a bad thing, really, but it definitely keeps one's creative juices flowing in strategizing how to get it all done.

First world probs, am I right?

Biking in the Dark...doesn't have to be scary

Biking...it doesn't have to just happen in the daylight hours.

With the daylight hours dwindling, there isn't a lot of natural light available this time of year. For those who work outside the home, the optimum daylight is even more scarce.

Have you ever been tempted to saddle up and ride under the stars, but were hesitant? Not sure how safe it is? Read on...

At-Home Workouts: Options Aplenty!

Did you know a gym is not a requirement for a good workout?

Easy for me to say, right? After all, I am a runner, and 98.999% of my runs happen in a non-gym setting (and, most of those runs also happen outdoors, in all kinds of extreme temps and weather conditions).

Granted, I do have a treadmill, but it's no secret that I seldom use it. I also have an elliptical, but that's reserved more for the colder months when it's too cold or dangerous to safely be outside. I don't have a gym membership, nor do I have a viable space in my house for a home gym. I do manage to work out almost every day, though, in some capacity.

I believe if I can find a way to make the workouts happen, anyone else can too.

Doubling Down

Doubling down. Double trouble. Double or nothing.

Call it what you will, there was all kinds of double duty going down this past week. Not only was there some major recovery happening (from Sunday's NewBo Half Marathon), but, technically, I was also coming off a "scale-back" from the previous week. Can you see the double objectives at play?

Fortunately, I made it work...

Coffee Chat: Summer Don't Go...

What happened to summer?

That's the thought that's been on auto-repeat for the past couple of weeks. I could tell the days were getting shorter (those #5at5 runs have seen the sun rising later and later), and now the temps have gotten cool as well. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm just not ready for it to happen...yet.

In fact, there are several things I have enjoyed this summer. I don't want to see any of them coming to a screeching halt.

Let's gather for a virtual cup of coffee (or any beverage of choice), shall we?  Maybe there's a few others out there who want summer to stick around for a little longer....