Why Running in Fall is the Best
Today is the first day of fall! And just because we are packing away our swimsuit for a couple of months doesn’t mean we should throw our running shoes in the back of the closet as well. Running in fall is quite honestly my favorite for several reasons:
Run in the middle of the day! Here in Utah it just doesn’t make sense to go on a long run after 10 am unless you want to find yourself feeling dehydrated and exhausted after just a few miles from the scorching sun. I grew up in Arizona and if you live in AZ don’t go on a long run in the middle of summer. period. I have some pretty epic fail stories of times I thought I could outrun the rising AZ sun… haha Fall temperatures make it possible to go for a jog with prime weather conditions later in the morning (which gives me a few extra hours to sleep in!) WIN!
The views! As you can tell from the pictures of today’s run- everything here is lit up in bright orange, red, and yellow. Today’s run was anything but long and boring. I’m not a huge nature guy but how can you not be fascinated with this color change? And I’m not sure if it was the runner’s high or the fresh crisp scent in the air but I was feeling pretty dang good all 10 miles. Fall definitely brings a lot of beautiful views and fresh scents.
Fall running makes you tough. I started training for a February marathon in the fall. It was quite honestly brutal in the last weeks of fall in terms of the weather. Winter weather invaded our last few weeks of the fall season last year. I even had to do a couple of long runs in the snow. Would I recommend that? Probably not. But it definitely made that February marathon seem like a piece of cake (I ran it in warm, snow-free AZ). True fact: running in cold weather actually causes you to burn more calories! (because your body is working harder to stay warm). So maybe there are a few days of adverse weather in Fall but embrace them and recognize that those days make you a stronger, better athlete!
If you stop running then what is going to happen at Thanksgiving and Christmas? The average American gains one to five pounds during the holiday season. Just sayin… haha So train for the Turkey Trot this year! Growing up, my family would always run in the city turkey trot and let me tell ya I felt totally guilt free stuffing my face with way too much food for that thanksgiving feast afterwards. Run more, eat more!
Perhaps the most important reason to run in the fall is because you are determined and dedicated to staying fit year round. As mentioned above, many people notice weight gain in the fall and winter months and then struggle the following spring to lose that extra body fat. Get a head start on your new year’s resolutions so that you hit the new year feeling and looking better than the many people who roll into the gym the first few weeks of January trying to undo the unhealthy habits they acquired over the holidays. I promise you that your body will thank you for it and you will feel a whole lot more confident and prepared to tackle bigger and better goals when the new year comes around!
There you have it! Just five of the many reasons to lace up and enjoy the beautiful fall months.
