Every year around this time life starts to get crazy. Though I guess in 2020 you can say it starts to get crazier. Between holiday shopping, baking, get-togethers (small groups please), finding time to fit in a run can be hard. Especially when you add all the things you’re currently doing, like working, homeschooling, and the everyday goings-on of life. Running through the holidays might come to mean running around town trying to find the perfect gift for grandma.
Running Through the Holidays
The irony of all of this is that running is a great stress reliever, so it really helps keep things steady during the holidays. When we find that we are so busy we can’t find the time to fit in our usual runs, that can cause even more stress. Don’t despair though. I’ve got you covered. Here are five tips to help you maintain your running fitness over the holidays.
5 Tips to Maintain Your Running Fitness
Of course, the holidays are not the only time we get busy. Work, family, and other obligations can make it challenging to find the time even for something that we love as much as running. These tips will help you keep your running fitness not only over the holidays but year-round as well.
1. Run Early (or Late)
By getting your run out of the way early in the morning you can avoid the buildup of other errands and interruptions that may cause you to skip your run. Running later in the day, after work or other chores are done, can not only help you keep your running fitness, it can also help you run off some of the stress of the day. Either may mean running in the dark or on a treadmill, but at least you’ll be getting it done.
2. Run Shorter
So you just have a half-hour? Don’t give it up, simply get out there, run a couple of miles, and be proud of yourself for getting it done. Runs don’t have to be long to count.
3. Schedule Your Run
Whether or not you’re currently following a training plan, schedule your run just like you would any other appointment. That will help you prioritize it.
4. Break it Up
Even when you’re busy, it may be possible to find blocks of time to fit in a run or two during your day. In addition to your short morning run, you might fit in a quick one at lunchtime or after work.
5. Give Yourself a Break
Don’t beat yourself up if you have to skip a run (or two) during the busy holiday season. If you can keep up two or three shorter runs during the week you can keep up your running fitness. And if sometimes you can’t even get that, forgive yourself. Sometimes family trumps running. January will be here soon.
How do you find time and motivation to maintain your running fitness over the holidays?
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When life gets full, I like to stick to my running but I make it shorter. Just going out for a mile is better than no miles!
In Europe, we obviously don’t have Thanksgiving, so that makes the holidays a little easier.
Yes, here in the US the celebrations start in November and continue to the first of the year. It makes it harder to stay on track.
Sometimes its easy to want to just skip a run if I can’t fit in the whole thing, so I need to remind myself that a short run is better than no run. It definitely helps me feel better when I get stressed and busy!
I’m the same. I always have this feeling that my minimum should be 3 miles (don’t ask me why). I have to remind myself that any mileage is good.
I think the big thing for me, is the making sure I schedule my runs. Somehow if I’ve allocated time for a run, I’m far more likely to do it, no matter how I feel, what the weather is like, or any of the other factors that ordinarily stop me from going out.
Yes! I find that is true for all kinds of fitness. Put it on your calendar and you’re more likely to get it done.
Running during the holidays is a must for me! It’s the one constant that keeps me sane!
I totally agree. Running is definitely my therapy too.
Shorter runs are often what get me through the holidays! Even just 20 minutes is better than no run at all.
That is one thing I have to remind my own self about. Even a mile is better than no run at all.
planning ahead can be key to holiday madness, Running is what always gets me through them without going crazy
I think I’d really go nuts during the holidays if I couldn’t run.
Running is just routine for me (when I’m not injured LOL), so I don’t ‘typically’ need to adjust my schedule. As you know, I’m an early-riser, so the bulk of my runs happen before I start my real day anyways 😉
I’m the same way (though not quite as early as you!). It’s such a habit to just get up and run and then go about the day. It’s what get me through too.
I need to get out there for at least a walk everyday. and run 3 times a week. Longer on the weekend.
It’s a challenge with the dark and the colder temps.
I’m not crazy about the dark but at least it doesn’t get too cold here (usually). It’s great to get in walks too, just moving is a good thing when life is crazy.
I think the biggest one is #2. Something is always better than nothing! That & not beating yourself up when you can’t stick to your schedule. Now is definitely not the time of year for that!
I agree and it’s something I have to remind myself about. Even a mile or two is better than nothing during the holidays.
I’ve definitely found that I have to get in where I fit in – I plan my runs in my planner, but sometimes I still have to switch things up. I think I’ll finally have to do some evening runs as we get closer to the holidays…it’s my only “free” time!
Good for you for keeping it up at all! Adding a baby into the mix really makes it challenging.
It’s definitely easy to fall off the wagon this time of year. That being said, I just get up first thing and handle it. That way, I can go about my business and get all my fitness in.
Yep, to me that’s the best way because that’s what I do too.