No other time of year does fitting in a workout feel as daunting as trying to run during the holiday season. For many people, your routine is disrupted, it’s hard to stay on schedule, and it’s easy to think it’s just better to just bag it until after the first of the year and start fresh?
Running during the holidays can be challenging, yes, but it is possible. If you were to throw in the towel from Thanksgiving to the New Year, you could lose as much as one-third of your current fitness level, which would mean starting the conditioning process almost all over again when you begin fully training. And keep in mind that the holidays often mean more stress, too, so we actually need our running outlet more than ever this time of year.
We suggest developing some flexible training tactics that can help keep you on track any time of the year when things get hectic. Work, travel, family, and other obligations can affect our running any time, so it’s important for you to incorporate alternative training strategies for staying on the road even when things get crazy.
Here are nine of our best tips for running during the holidays and beyond.
Plan your runs for the week in advance
Look at your schedule, see what works, and write your runs in your planner. Having them written down makes it much more likely to happen. Heading into a new year might also be a good time to invest in a new journal for all your goals.
Focus on maintaining your current fitness level
Rather than trying to improve your fitness during a busy or stressful time of the year, just make it a goal to keep your baseline of fitness. Running three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes will maintain your current fitness level and help relieve stress until you are able to resume a heavier training load.
Another great option is to try keeping a streak going, like the Runner’s World Holiday #RWRunStreak from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, where all you have to do is put in at least a mile a day.
Adapt your training to fit your schedule
If you are struggling to run during the holidays, shorten the length or duration of your runs, alter the intensity, or change the frequency of your runs when necessary. When there is no time for a long run, speed up the pace for a short run. Or change up frequency when necessary, like run three to four times a week rather than five or six times a week, or, vice versa.
Go with the flow
Runners tend to love routine, but this can sometimes be a stumbling block to training during hectic times of the year. Try running at different times of the day and in different places to help running better fit into your day.
Find a race
Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, there are many races of all distances available. (You can find a lot with the .) When traveling for work or the holidays, a race is a great way to get a run in, see the area, and participate in holiday festivities and check out the local running scene. You can also use to time to choose an event to target for spring. Having a goal race on the calendar can help with motivation to run consistently through the holidays and other busy times of the year.
Make your run social
Meet up with your friends for a run before heading to happy hour. And during the holidays, you could plan a run through neighborhoods with festive lights and decorations so you know there is something to see along the way.
Set a different goal
Target something completely different, like a trail race, an obstacle course race, or a new distance to inspire you and help keep you out there when life gets challenging.
Team up
If you’re looking to add structure, join a training program, a running club, or try an online program to help provide you with structure and a plan to follow.
Susan Paul has coached more than 2,000 runners and is an exercise physiologist and program director for the Orlando Track Shack Foundation. For more information, visit www.trackshack.com.
