Winter Wonderland

Fall is definitely in the air. It's much cooler especially in the mornings. The leaves are beginning to change colors and the Canadian Geese can be seen flying south. We are about to the end of the growing season and our lawns are going dormant. The world around us is preparing for the coming winter, which by all predictions will be a cold and wet one.

As adult athletes we need to prepare for winter as well, winter training. The long time runners, walkers and bikers have made peace with the season changes and just press on. For them it's just business as usual, just different scenery. But for those who are new to living a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, winter can be a problem.

To start with the days are shorter and it's harder to get yourself out the door when it's not only cold but dark as well. So the first hurdle is to get your motivation tuned up. You can do that by remembering all the reasons you started living a healthy lifestyle to begin with. Look at all the positive results you have seen so far. If you don't continue with your life training you will begin to lose your hard earned fitness.

This is an outstanding time to have a training buddy. When you have someone who is waiting for you, then you are more certain to get up and go. It also helps when you can help keep each other motivated. When you are freezing you nose off it nice to have someone to tell, whose nose is freezing off as well.

Winter means new warmer workout clothes. You don't have to spend a lot on it either. I would recommend 3 tech shirts with long sleeves, Target has the Champion brand that is very inexpensive. But every shoe company has decent stuff and a lot of specialty companies. I personally like the Nike clothes but can't wear their shoes. A couple of pair of running pants will be good and a lined tech material jacket should get you through the winter just fine. For me the most important article of winter gear is gloves. I have some nice tech material gloves that I wear on days that I won't be taking the gloves off. For races and days where it's going to be warming up while I'm out I wear the cheap brown cotton work gloves. I can just throw them down and go on in a race. Next most important for me and a top priority for some is a hat that will come down over your ears.

Winter is sunglasses time just as much as summer. Remember polycarbonate lens material, it's shatter resistant and light. The glasses will not just keep the sun out but just as important the cold wind which makes your eyes water.

Keep wearing the shoes you regularly train in, switching shoes will just as always cause problems. When your training shoes work for you don't worry about rain and snow. Your wet shoes will dry quicker than the knee problems you get, from the wrong shoes, will heal.

Good mental and physical preparation will make winter exercising as much fun and productive as summer training.

Thanks for reading.

Rambling Panda.