What are you doing in your off-season from running? Do you take an off-season due to weather or holidays or just because you need a break? If you run straight through month after month, what does your cross training look like?
It’s no secret I live “up north”. Northern Michigan. No, not the upper peninsula. I live in the northern lower peninsula. We get a bit fussy about that around the state. I grew up in the snow and love outdoor winter activities. Cross country (nordic) skiing is my love through and through. I can ice skate, downhill ski, snowboard, snowmobile, etc. but none of it compares to getting out in the forest gliding along on a pair of skis. There is a level of peace and serenity out there on a cold winter day you won’t experience elsewhere. Winter arrived way ahead of schedule and I actually skied last weekend on November 8th. I’ve never had my skis out that early before in my life and I’ve been skiing for 35 years now. (I do run in the winter. Mostly 30-40 minutes in the mornings before work and then ski on the weekends.)
I’m loving the early start to winter but I’m also fearful of the fact we could easily get 6 full months of snow and cold. It’s common for us to still have snow and cold into April. The good part is the solid white really helps brighten things up and the grey and gloom is gone!
The other thing I’m doing this winter is focusing on my mental and physical health in deeper ways. It’s the perfect time to work harder at my nutrition and be more mindful of my stress levels. Do you have goals or a focus during your off-season or do you treat it like a time for letting the pressures and goals slip away and just “chill out”? Love to hear your thoughts! ~Brenda~
