THE HOLIDAY RUNNING SERIES
By rabbitPRO Adam Kimble
Welcome back! Okay, so you tried all my suggestions to help with sticking to a running routine during the holidays, right? Good. Are you left feeling unsatisfied? Or were the tips so good that you just couldn’t wait to see what came next? Honestly, I’m not offended if it’s the former. Tips and tricks are like running fuel or the shoes you wear- what works for me very well might not work for you. The beauty of running is that ultimately, there are no shortcuts. You get out of it what you put into it. No matter what I write, I’m not going to tell you anything that will crack a special code for you. What I’m hoping to do is to give you just one thing that may resonate with you and inject some fun and passion into your routine. All it takes is a little motivation and everything can change for the better. So, on that note, here are a few more things that I like to do during a busy holiday season to keep my routine from going stale:
1. Lean into the season! One of my best friends once told me “If you can’t get out of it, get into it!” For me, that means embracing the things that embody the holiday season. I’m naturally a festive person who really enjoys this time of the year, but even if you’re not, it can be fun to give it a shot. Throw on a holiday playlist and see if you can’t rid yourself of any Scrooge that might exist in your life! Or, my personal favorite, run around the neighborhood and check out the decorations. It’s most fun to do that in the morning or at night when it’s dark outside, which can be a plus for the folks who are too busy to run during the day!
2. Focus on short-term goals for specific days and weeks. A lot of us have yearly or monthly mileage goals, but during the holidays I prefer to focus on days and weeks. For example, I have a good friend who likes to run long runs every year on Thanksgiving. You might do something like that, or even try to run a certain number of miles the last week of November or December. It’s another chance to reframe lower overall running volume by focusing on specific periods of time where you can get the most out of yourself.
3. Start new traditions! This is my favorite tip of them all because it’s the easiest and most fun way to bake runs or walks into your schedule. Three years ago on Christmas Day, I went for a run with my wife and my brother. It only took one year of doing it, and now we schedule our family run when we get together every year. It doesn’t always even fall on the same day, but the newfound tradition carries on. This year, for the first time ever, my wife is planning a neighborhood Turkey Trot with some friends. Even if it only involves two or three people, a great tradition can be born with a simple plan. And there are few things more special than carrying on a great tradition with loved ones!
Once again, I hope you’ll try something new this season and see if it changes the game for you. If for nothing else, do it for the adventure! Happy Holidays!
