In the U.S. we\u2019re very close to the long holiday season which starts later this month. It\u2019s also the period when it\u2019s easiest to deviate from exercise and workout routines. This is understandable as our evenings get tied up with holiday-themed functions and weekends get tied up with decorating and shopping. At workplaces, we\u2019re trying to wrap up the calendar year on a shortened schedule as the business will be closed multiple days during the season. For some runners during this period of time, it may be that their three day a week plan goes to one or zero. For others it may be that their fifty miles per week turns into thirty.<\/p>\n
If your running tends to slide or drop off during busy times, even if it\u2019s not a holiday season, there are a few things to keep in mind. For an example for the sake of this post, let\u2019s head for the middle and say your goal is to run four days per week for thirty to forty-five minutes but you\u2019re not sure you can keep that up between late November and early January.<\/p>\n
The beauty of running is that with the exception of walking, it\u2019s the easiest form of exercise for people to do in terms of its logistics. You don\u2019t need a bike, a gym, a pool, a court, multiple people to make up a team, etc. As long as you have shoes and a surface to run on, you can get out there.<\/p>\n
Short of keeping up with your planned goal, what are some ways to still work running into your schedule?<\/p>\n
1. Be flexible on the amount of time you run. If you\u2019re squeezed for time, getting out for part of your normal route or a portion of your planned time is better than nothing. It won\u2019t sustain the level you achieved or hope for though it will make getting back to that level easier than if you had opted to not run.<\/p>\n
2. Be flexible on when you run. If your schedule is going to be interrupted, see if you can squeeze in a short one during a time of day when you don\u2019t normally run. Maybe you can run on your lunch break, then eat a sandwich over your keyboard later. Or, you maybe you can plan to get up a few minutes earlier or take a quick run in the evening.<\/p>\n
3. Be flexible on the number of times per week you run. If you can\u2019t run four times for one week, try to do three, two, or even one. Like point number one, it\u2019s better than throwing in the towel completely and you\u2019ll maintain your fitness much better.<\/p>\n
4. Check out local holiday-themed races. There are Turkey Trots and Jingle-Bell dashes all over the place. If there\u2019s one close to you, it can be a fun way for you or a family to spend a morning. The best part is that if you have an event like that on the calendar, you\u2019ll be more likely to keep up your running routine so that you\u2019re prepared for it.<\/p>\n
5. If you have kids and a running stroller, use running as an excuse to get them out, even if it\u2019s really so that you can get out. Or, if they\u2019re overloaded on treats or family time and are close to (or in the middle of) a holiday meltdown, this is a prime opportunity to strap them into the stroller and go get some fresh air while they calm down and possibly even sleep. (Do check that they\u2019re old enough\/big enough to safely ride in a running stroller.)<\/p>\n
Enjoy the upcoming weeks. If you do keep to your schedule or a partial schedule, you will likely feel much better about having done so. Also, once January hits and the fitness resolutions are in full swing, you\u2019ll be several steps ahead of everyone else.<\/p>\n
Next time, the distance running GOAT…<\/p>\n
Running food review of the week:\u00a0<\/span>(note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race):\u00a0<\/span>Clif Bloks Tropical Fruit Punch<\/a>. These taste pretty good and they have a caffeine boost. I started my run using these planning to go an easy three. However, it was over 90 degrees so if you’ve read some of my previous material, you’ll know I decided to boost the mileage–a whole whopping mile and a half to make it 4.5 (I was on my lunch break and had a race three days later–two reasons to not extend myself.) Back to the Bloks. I ate them around 15 minutes before I left and washed them down with water. They worked.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the U.S. we\u2019re very close to the long holiday season which starts later this month. It\u2019s also the period when it\u2019s easiest to deviate from exercise and workout routines. This is understandable as our evenings get tied up with holiday-themed functions and weekends get tied up with decorating and shopping. At workplaces, we\u2019re trying … <\/p>\n