Stepping out with our Walk Fitness group this morning and no problem for them with motivation!
For anyone struggling to get keep going this Winter here’s my top tips:
Promise yourself a reward after your run / walk. Our Wednesday morning walkers always head to Costas afterwards and it’s one of the reasons this group is so well-attended even on a cold morning. Your treat might be a nice long soak in the bath, something extra tasty for dinner or meeting up with a friend afterwards. Of course it’s our Run to Pub next Wednesday so no better treat than that SE Fitness!
Get yourself the right Gear. Being cold and wet is misery. Walkers have the advantage here! Even on a wet day you can wear proper waterproofs and walking boots. Slightly more difficult for runners. Opt for layers of technical clothing that you can easily remove and tie around your waist. Aim to go out feeling chilly as you’ll soon warm up. Protect your extremities with hats, gloves or how about an SE Fitness Buff?! Cold, wet feet are the absolute worst. Most trainer brands now offer a Gore Tex option. This will keep your feet warm and dry but also clean! If you don’t want to invest in waterproof trainers how about some waterproof socks such as SealSkinz? Not tried myself but heard good things!
Light Up. Be safe and be seen. Our evening runners and walkers know that Hi Viz is mandatory in our groups. Why not go one step further and purchase a head or chest torch. Readily available for a range of prices and certainly a useful bit of kit for our ‘Moonlight’ outings and also for camping with the kids!
Enjoy the Moment. During December few of us are in training so be flexible. It’s all about getting out there, keeping the routine, burning a few calories, working the heart and lungs. It was an extraordinarily beautiful morning in the park this morning so remember to enjoy it. Muddy, icy conditions are going to affect your pace so accept it and run for the pleasure instead.
Warm up. At SE Fitness we promote a dynamic warm up before all of our sessions. This is more crucial than ever when it is cold. The warm up helps get the blood flowing and prepares your muscles for exercise. When it’s cold it can be tempting to set off quicker (to warm up) this is a recipe for disaster on cold calves / hamstrings! The warm up also gets you used to being outside and mentally prepared for the challenge ahead.
Get changed quickly post run. After a run we all start to cool down very quickly especially when it’s cold or wet. I think we need to get better at getting changed after the run SE fitness! Be sure to bring a clean top with you to slip on afterwards and avoid lingering chills. There’s plenty of pegs in SE Fitness HQ so don’t be afraid to use them! A hot drink will help you warm up and something milky is also refuelling your protein. How about buying one of the new SE Fitness Hoodies – they are only £23 from Sportology? Remember to put your name in though as there could be a lot of similar jumpers on the pegs in SE Fitness HQ!