Spring race days have their perks: mild temps, a shared it's-finally-sunny-out energy, and a positive kick-start to the season. But training for spring races (i.e., braving freezing cold temps week after week if you live in the North, and dealing with a limited number of hours for daylit runs)? That can be daunting.
…or snag some much needed alone time.
“Warm weather brings out all runners-and crowds,” says Kelly Whittaker, a 20-time marathoner and an instructor at B/SPOKE, an indoor cycling studio in Boston. But jogging on a cold, crisp day could mean you have the road or trail to yourself and can take in the scenery in a more relaxed way. “There’s nothing better than running past snow-covered terrain.” Seek a natural environment for even more of a zen factor. Research from Stanford University finds that spending time in the great outdoors (and we don’t mean city streets) calms the brain, relaxing areas linked to mental illness, more so than busy settings.
