Winters can be cold…I mean, really cold.
Seriously COLD!
No wonder some people refer winters as most depressing season. In fact, there’s a term for that -- SAD, not that sad, although it is sad but SAD in this case stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
SAD (also known as winter depression) is a recognised condition by National Institute of Mental Health. Common symptoms include excessive sleeping, low energy and increased anxiety all caused by lack of natural light.
But now we’re entering SPRINGGGGGGGGGGGGG..
And
Winter is DEAD!
Yay! Finally, spring is here and you can embrace the beautiful nature. Recharge your mind, body, soul. Get ready for the cozy sunshine to kiss your beautiful cheeks and make your soul happy. Connect yourself with big yellow ball of light coming from sun.
Honestly, running is therapy. You not only release sweat, but you let a lot go when you start running. Running isn’t a race, it’s not about slow or fast, it is to enrich your soul in the solitude. For sure, it’s not easy, but for sure it’s worth it.
Last year, this time, the pandemic was at its peak and we weren’t able to enjoy the beautiful spring season. People have been forced to stay in their homes. Spring 2020 was one of the damn memories, people will never forget. But things are getting better, we have amazing opportunity to go out and enjoy the mother nature this year.
On the brightest side, people appreciate nature more and understand how lucky they are to spend time in nature. We’ve been glued to screens as never before and this is one of reasons why people are experiencing mental health issues in various communities. Spring gives us an excellent opportunity to ground ourselves and reconnect with our inner self. This spring can be most humbling experience for you. Trust Mother Nature and see how much she’ll reward you.
Spring means 👇
more OUTDOOR activities
more SUNSHINE
clearer BLUE SKY
more DAYLIGHT
more GREENERY
more dazzling FLOWERS
more refreshing BREEZE
more BIRDS chirping melodiously
more CREATIVE energy
more trips to NATURE
more HIKES
more EXCURSIONS
And finally, more RUNNING, Of course
Why Spring is the best season for RUNNING?
* Perfect climate – After a long winter, when you reach spring. It’s super rejuvenating. Not too cold not too hot, just a moderate pleasant climate. This gives runners the perfect opportunity to start running again. Warm enough to wear shorts and cold enough that you’re not to sweat like crazy. There’s something special in the spring that gives you a feel of renewal. Air temperature is one of the key factors for running performance. Spring is the best time of the year when you can enjoy running without being bogged down by too much cold or too much hot. The most amazing part of running in spring is you can enjoy the sun rise and kiss its beauty.
* More daylight – Daylight saving can give you that extra hour to devote to running. If your last run was during the fall, this is the time to take action. Now, that you have more sunshine, you can dedicate one hour for running. Adjust your sleep schedule and get ready for running a week in advance. You might feel little groggy in the beginning, so you can always start with half an hour schedule in the beginning and then leading to one hour once your body adjusts itself.
* Marathons – Spring also brings lots of marathon or half marathon. Sign up for the marathon and start training for that. This will give you motivation and inspiration to train and run. By signing up you have made yourself accountable for running and now this commitment will give you the desired drive to run daily. Plus running a marathon in the spring is much easier than other seasons.
* Vitamin D – Time for some Vitamin D. For those who don’t know, vitamin D is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. It helps the bones to absorb calcium. During the winters, many people suffer from deficiency of Vitamin D in absence of sunlight. Running in the spring and summer helps your body generate vitamin D. Lack of vitamin D in runners can lead to sports injuries like stress fractures. Vitamin D is not only vital for bone health, but also helps athlete to optimise their performance by generating enzymes for muscle stimulation, nerve stimulation, strengthening the immune system and improving the anti-inflammatory response. Running in spring can give you the right amount of vitamin D for your body to boost your bone health.
* Perfect Wildlife and scenic views – During spring, you see more bird chirping, more greenery and lot of activity among animals arising from winter sleep. It is totally different energy all together. The same place in winter can be isolated but come spring it completely transforms itself into super lively place. Running in the spring is totally different experience, it not only rejuvenates your physical body but also replenishes your inner soul and mind.
How to get RUNNING READY for Spring?
* Hold your horses – Start slow, don’t ramp up fast. Take your time. Whether you have stopped running last fall or didn’t run in last one year. You need to take extra precautions. I know sometimes it is difficult to control your energy, but give your body a good time to match your emotional excitement with your physical endurance. Otherwise, it could cause injuries. You don’t have to ruin your spring by inciting a silly injury, and spoil rest of the spring. Give yourself time to recover. Slowly and steadily increase your mileage, if you have run for 5 miles in your first week, do not go over 10% increase in mileage next week. It can be challenging and frustrating at sometimes, but seriously, remember that you’re looking to enjoy spring season without any injuries.
* Unpredictable Weather – Spring weather can be very unpredictable. Always be prepared for additional clothes. Some places experience sporadic showers during the spring, so make sure you have water-resistant clothing with you. Having right kind of outfit will help you not get sick due to sudden climate change. You can also layer up when you start running and as you feel warmer, you can take a single layer off to regulate your body temperature.
* Optimize Nutrition – Before you start running, you need to nourish your body with kind of nutrition and hydrate it more frequently. Pick more leafy green veggies instead of processed food. Snack in wholefoods like hummus, sprouted bread, smoked salmon etc instead of fast foods like burger or pizza. Also, before you start running, get right kind of fuel for your body - 6AM Marathon that will not only help you build endurance, stamina but will also help you recover faster. You see, if don’t recover faster, you will never be able to reach your peak level of performance.
* Flexibility – It is a tricky subject and a lot has been said about it. Some believe that flexibility can hinder your running and others that injury can be avoided through it. While, it is hot debate on the internet, I think little flexibility is good for the muscles. Running tightens your muscles and you should regularly practise flexibility to avoid any kind of injury. In my opinion, the best option to balance your flexibility without going too much into it is by practising yoga. Little yoga few days before you start running can really help you in getting your muscles flexible, hence avoiding any kind of muscle injuries while you’re running. As you age, flexibility helps you to take good care of your muscles, tendons and joints. Combining it with running can really help to build right kind of running routine for you.
* Strength Training – Now you would be thinking about strength training has to do with running. You can avoid any kind of injury by doing strength training, working on your upper body and lower body make you well equipped for running longer, faster and most efficiently. With the help your strength training, you peak your performance without pain and enjoy your running activity. This really helps in keeping your motivation intact for running.
You don’t have to go to gym for strength training. You can very much do it at the convenience of your home. Your legs, hips and lower back will be more stronger and well equipped to run longer.
* Running Gear – When was the last time you bought your running gear, if you don’t remember, probably you need one. 6AM Run launched amazing spring collection engineered for runners. Having right kind of gear really helps you to appreciate your race and make it as smooth as silk. Make sure you right of kind of shoes for running because if your shoes are not equipped to properly handle the shocks, you might injure your knee joint. In addition, wear something breathable and stretchable so that your movement in clothing is well suited for running.
Finally, keep track of your performance, give yourself realistic targets, don’t go overboard. Start with short distances and then lead to longer distances. Don’t be disappointed in yourself, if you aren’t able to achieve your targets. Remember that the most important thing is to run. Rest everything is secondary. Take Action. Start running.
Now get out of the door…..1 2 3 RUN🏃