We moved to Greenville, SC from Jacksonville, FL in May 2014. A few months later, we experienced our first "real" winter in ten years. I quickly realized that I do not like running or biking outside when it's cold and I needed to invest in a more seasonable wardrobe by purchasing winter workout gear. By no means is our winter weather extreme, but it's always a bit of a struggle to go from my favorite season (summer = hot and humid) to colder temperatures.
For many years, I tolerated the winter by training indoors. I've put in a lot of treadmill and treadmill miles from December until March. However, year after year, I realized how much the winter weather was affecting my mental health. But I recognized that it wasn't just the cold weather that was giving me the blues but it was the lack of being outside.
Over the past few years, I've made a conscious effort to run and bike outside throughout the winter. I have an ever-growing wardrobe of winter workout clothing, I have a group of friends who hold me accountable to riding outside and my go-to running routes give me something to look forward to. Sometimes I'm tempted to stay indoors when I check the weather forecast but I know I will always feel better once I get myself started.
If you struggle with workout motivation in the cold winter months, here are some strategies that I use to get myself outside on a cold winter day. - Warm up - To get myself into a workout mindset, I always start with an ECFIT mobility or strength session. Not only does this help loosen my muscles but it also helps to raise my body temperature so that I don't feel as cold when I get outside. Making time for 5-15 minutes of warming up can make a big difference when it comes to setting yourself up for a good workout.
- Join a group workout - I absolutely love attending the local Friday masters swim session because I look forward to seeing my friends and swimming with others. Thanks to the Supra cycling team, I know that every Saturday at 10am for 8 weeks from December until the end of January, I can ride with 30-50+ cyclists thanks to the Greenville Winter Bike League. Find a group or class that gets you excited and get a friend to hold you accountable. If you enjoy learning, training and changing up the training environment, conside one of our four group training camps this year.
- Invest in proper workout gear - I never knew how to properly dress for biking in cold weather until I went for my first cold weather ride in Greenville. I quickly realized how important layers were to keeping warm but not overheating. It's been a bit of trial and error to know what clothing works for certain workouts and weather conditions but having a variety of options to choose from can make a bad weather day feel somewhat pleasant. Even if you workout indoors, having the right gear matters when it comes to feeling comfortable and confident when you are moving and using your body.
- Be creative - I know that some type of exercise is better than no exercise so I try to be creative with my winter workouts. Recently I've been running outside after I swim because I have found it very difficult to get outside for a run in the early evening. This past weekend I split my long run into a warm-up on the road around Furman and then a main set in the Furman trail system. It was nice to be in the woods, sheltered from the 20-degree temps and strong winds. If you don't have the ability to get outside, make it a goal to get 10,000 steps (which is around 5 miles!) for the day.
- Seek adventure - No matter how I feel when I start the workout, I always feel better after the workout is complete. When the weather is really bad, I feel like I conquered an adventure. Even if I am only running a few miles in the evening, I see it as an adventure. I get excited to put on my headlamp, reflective vest and other gear to stay visable and I let my light guide the way. I love turning workouts into an adventure by going somewhere new or different. With this adventure mindset, I don't worry about having to perform a certain way or hit certain metrics like paces or watts but rather, I know that I will need an explorative mindset and mental toughness to finish what I started.
Remind yourself that exercise is needed all year long. It doesn't matter where or how you workout but daily movement is important for your mental and physical health. | 