Running outside year-round will make you indestructible

It’s the time of year when many runners start to shift some runs over to a treadmill or indoor track. Keeping most of your runs outside from the moment the days become shorter can be an efficient and straightforward training tool. If you can continue to train outside year-round, both your brain and body will benefit.

Aim to keep as many of your runs outdoors as possible, particularly in the fall season when the weather is in between summer warmth and the winter frigid temperatures. As it gradually gets colder, you will also adjust and it won’t be a huge shock when you step out into a deep freeze mid-winter.

Avoiding darker mornings and evenings due to safety concerns are, however, valid reasons to shift to an indoor setting, and it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings and prioritize safety.

You’ll gain mental strength and grit

Depending on where you live, winter can feel interminable. Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subclinical variations of it. Exercising, period, can seem much less enjoyable much of the time. No matter how you reframe it, trudging through rain and snow is tough. Knowing that the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term challenges can be helpful motivation to get out the door.

Give yourself huge kudos every time you head out into a less-than-appealing day, and imagine how much easier hill training will feel in the daylight, in shorts, in a few months. Putting in the hard work early in the year will lead to more fun when the sun is shining.

Getting outdoors will boost your mood, even when the weather is bad

It can be hard to find motivation when the sky is cloudy or the weather is really cold. Even when it isn’t sunny, you’ll still be getting exposure to daylight, something neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says is key to longevity and staying healthy.

A Harvard University study showed that the elevated levels of carbon dioxide often present in indoor environments can have negative effects on cognitive function. Breathing fresh, oxygen-rich air (even if it’s chilly) is good for your body and brain.

Even the coldest winter runs, the ones where you can’t wait to get indoors and peel off the freezing layers, will give your brain a kick-start and leave you feeling better for having moved your body.

Training all winter will give you an edge on the competition

This early part of winter is the best time to build your aerobic base and set an important foundation upon which spring speed and endurance will be built. Think of your training as a pyramid—your winter base mileage forms the bottom layer on which your other training can rest.

If you skip this step, you won’t be ahead of the game when spring arrives, and it will take longer to get into racing shape. Running on snow or uneven terrain also recruits your stabilizer muscles into action, so you’ll be strenghtening areas of your body that aren’t usually a focus while you run.

Running during the unpredictable fall and winter months also means you’ll be challenging your body and brain to tackle new and different things regularly–another science-backed way to keep your brain and body optimized for many years to come.

posted Thursday October 6th
by Keeley Milne