Sick of Running Indoors? How to Take Your Gym Workout Outside.

I'm away at wedding festivities, but I've left you in good hands: Judy Molnar, Vice President of Iron Girl, a national all-women's athletic event series, put something together just for you, Shape Up! readers! If you're tired of the treadmill, or just need a break from your regular routine, she has GREAT ideas for taking your workout outdoors. But first, some cool things you should know about Judy: After being diagnosed as morbidly obese, she decided to make a change and committed herself to losing 100 pounds. She has, to date, participated in over 35 triathlons, (including the Iron Man!) and is now a USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach and personal trainer, in addition to her work with Iron Girl. Here are her tips:

Backyard boot camp:
This workout is fun and something you can set up in your backyard to create a circuit-style boot camp. Bring out your music, have your friends blow a whistle (or set a timer) when it's time to move from station to station. You can do it on your schedule. Set up stations with what you have. Even without any equipment, you can set up a station for sit ups, pushups, squats, lunges and running in place. You can add equipment like a jump rope or stationary bike for cardio, a baseball bat to hold over head to do stretching and twists or dumbbells to enhance your squats and lunges. Be creative with what you have, at a minimum your body is a great weight.

Intervals, Olympic street style:
Running the same distance on the same course every day can get boring. Adding speed and variety to your running sessions can truly spark your running. Whether it is block-to-block, tree to the next tree or phone pole to the next, set up small distances so that you can do a full-out sprint. Then, recover to the next distance with an easy walk or jog. Continue to repeat this for a few sets and build up the sets you do over time. This same type of speed work can be done at a nearby high school track.

Fitness on a budget: Join a free running club.

Community workout trails:
Check out your local area to see if there are any local trails/paths that are already set up with exercises you can do at each station. This gets you outside, varies your routine and gives you a new challenge at each station--especially the pull-up bar!

Tour de You:
Get off the spin bike at the club and head outdoors for a trail ride. Cycling outside, whether on the road or a mountain bike path, is a refreshing way to tour the neighborhood. You can even take it to the next level by commuting to work on a bike as a personal green initiative.

Hiking:
We all know nature is a great place to connect with your surroundings and disconnect from the world. Check out the parks in your area. Hiking doesn't require a trip to a national park. More often, hiking is heading to a new park--it gets you outside and away from your regular neighborhood walk.

Swimming:
I know this requires a swimsuit, but swimming is not about your size (if only I didn't care so much, Judy!)-- just a chance to enjoy a refreshing, non-weight-baring exercise outside. Summer is a great time to take advantage of the lake and the beach. Grab some fins and it will get you moving fast in the water and make for a great swim workout. There are also many swim clubs and Master's programs that will get you in the pool or the lake.

"The key to taking your workout outside is to look in your community for the resources you already have," says Judy. "Be creative, have fun and see this as an opportunity to listen to your thoughts and not the sweaty guy on the treadmill next to you."

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