Feb 05 2009
Got Winter Jitters?
Winter has set in, and with it the woes of boring days spent inside. For many, the indoors just mark another inactive day. But there are solutions to staying indoors. As winter continues, it is important to keep up on your exercise and maintain fitness and stamina for spring hiking. There are many different ways to so this, but here are some especially good one.
For starters, treadmills are a perfect way to stay indoors and maintain stamina, but they are often boring. One great way to stay fit without having to run on a treadmill is to run at a track. You can also try to jog on fair days on good trails. Finally, try to keep your exercise routines unique. This will keep exercising fun and easy. Also try to get outside to exercise at least once a week to get some fresh air. Even recreating in the winter can be fun. Happy hiking!
I always found trail running to be the most enjoyable form of exercise. I did have to learn to pick up my feet a little higher after tripping on tree roots. The nature of a trail run allows me to vary my speeds and intensity in a natural way without contriving to do so. Trail running shoes are also a good idea for the extra ankle support and penetration protection.