How I'm Choosing to Stay Active This Holiday Season
--By Meghan G. Loftus, Associate Multimedia Editor of Runner's World
Just because I work at Runner's World doesn't mean I'm any better than anyone else at staying fit through the holiday season. In fact, I might argue that I'm worse.
Once I complete my big fall race--this year, I ended with the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20--I am free from the rigid five-days-a-week training plan I'd been following for the previous four months. Usually, I have a spring race in mind, and training for those doesn't start until January or February.
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I always have good intentions to run (and strength-train) through this plan-free expanse of time.
But then, it's cold and snowy and dark outside. And my schedule fills up with holiday parties and travel plans. And I tell myself, "It's cool. Training for (insert spring race here) starts in just a few weeks. I might as well be lazy while I still can!"
And then, a few weeks later, I begin my spring training a few pounds heavier, missing some of the fitness I worked so hard to gain through the fall.
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Not this year. I'm planning to run at least one mile per day, every day, starting on Thanksgiving and going through New Year's Day. Something is better than nothing, and sometimes, all it takes is one mile to inspire you to run farther.
I've run six marathons now, but I've never, ever run more than five or six days in a row. (And I haven't even done that since high school.) This is a 39-day running streak. Nothing like a new challenge to keep you motivated!
I've invited readers of RunnersWorld.com to join me, and the response has been huge. On our website, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter (using the hashtag #RWRunStreak), people have pledged to give our first ever Holiday Running Streak a try.
See Who's Talking about the Holiday Running Streak-and Join Yourself
Tell us: What are your plans for staying fit this holiday season?
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