October 27th 2016, we have had our first snow overnight and we now know that winter is officially coming at our doors. It may not be there yet but we sure are transitioning from fall to winter. You may want to stay inside and drink that nice hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate and hibernate. I don’t know if you have had outdoor classes that included going out on expeditions but I have had my fair share of it. There was this teacher who would tell us that “there is no such thing as bad weather, only poorly dressed people”. And boy was he ever right about that statement.
The weather patterns are changing; the days are getting shorter and it is getting harder to put in the miles on the bicycle. It may be hard but with proper preparation, you can enjoy a safe bike ride outside until at least the snow comes for good. The park is closed for the cars so all we really need is some good layers and shoe covers to keep the wind from freezing our toes.
If cycling is not your thing, no problem! Enjoying the outdoors is not limited to just cycling. You know what you enjoy doing, so go out and do it. The colours are great in the park so with proper clothing on and proper lighting (if you are in the dark), you can keep the fun outside.
I must say, I am not a fan of the cold weather but I do make an effort to do some of my training outside. Cyclocross race venues are a fun way to get some fresh air in, even if it doesn’t feel like such a good idea in the beginning (waiting and freezing while doing so). At the end, it is all worth it. You get to play in all sorts of terrain. Trail running (or hiking) is also a great way to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature.
Even if that hot coco inside is really tempting, why not have one after you’ve enjoyed some fresh air. I must say I find the hot drink so much more enjoyable after spending some time outside. You can go out on a trail and take pictures with a friend, hike, cycle, run, the options are unlimited when you are prepared to face any kind of weather. You don’t have to do a workout to remain healthy, you have to be physically active and make it part of your life.
Running 1h daily doesn’t compensate for sitting on your laurels all day, being healthy is so much more than that. Keep training if that is what you enjoy doing but also, try and minimize the time that you stay seated all day. If you have that kind of 9 to 5 job where movement is limited, how about take two minutes out of every hour to just move, walk, do a couple of squats, push-ups or even walk to your colleague to give them a message instead of emailing them or calling them (you can do anything as long as you are moving). Let’s make physical activity part of your lifestyle. My question for you is how do you incorporate physical activity into your life?
Coach Véronique Roberts 