4 Ways To Stay On Track With Your Running Goals During Winter
Winter, where the days are shorter, the weather is colder, and the mornings are tougher. As runners, we know how tough it is to wake up early in the winter to get in a quick run, especially when it’s snowing. Although it’s tempting to go back to sleep after the alarm clock beeps us to reality, you have to get up on your feet and run towards your goals (no pun intended!). Of course, we all need a little push in the morning, so here are a few tips on how to stay on track during the cold winter days.
1. Run Before your Brain Figured Out What You’re Doing
The sun rises later and sets earlier, making the days shorter and the temperature colder. You might laugh, but waking up early in the morning to run is actually the best way to get your daily run in. The weather might seem colder in the morning, but it’s actually not much colder than during the day.
It just seems like it’s colder because you’re leaving the wonderful warmth that your covers are providing in the morning. Instead of dwelling on how cold it is, just throw on your winter running gear and get out the door. You don’t have to start running right away, but at least you’ll be out of the house and ready to get to work on your mileage.
2. Set Your Alarm 15 Minutes Earlier
Being that your bed seems to be extremely comfortable and warm in the morning, it’s a guarantee that you’ll want to hit the snooze button when your alarm beeps. Hitting the snooze button isn’t such a big deal if you have a lot of time to get ready in the morning, but if you are under a strict schedule and only have as et amount of minutes to train, you can’t keep jetting the snooze button.
To make sure that you’re not going in to your temptations too much in the morning, set your alarm clock 15 minutes before you actually have to wake up. This way, you’ll still be able to hit snooze without it affecting your daily and training schedule as well. You’ll have exactly 15 minutes to mentally and physically wake up and wrap your head around the fact that you have to go out and run or train.
3. Go All Out On Winter Gear
There are some things that we can be cheap on, but winter running gear isn’t one of them. When running outside in the winter, you need to make sure that your body temperature is kept at a healthy level to decrease your chances of getting injured. Your body warms up only after about ten minutes of running at a normal pace, so it’s important to have clothing that will keep you warm while running outside. Don’t be cheap, invest for the long term.
4. Sleep With Summer Pyjamas
You might think I’m crazy, but it’s actually a great technique to get your body used to cold temperatures. If you’re an outdoor runner, this trick will help out tons when the time comes to run in the cold winter wind. By sleeping in shorts and a t-shirt, your heart will automatically start beating faster to pump more blood in your veins and organs to keep you warm.
When the time will come to run outside, the cold weather won’t affect you as much and you’ll be able to run further and faster!
This article was written by Sarah Anton. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr!
