We know the weather here in Northern Colorado has been trending cooler for weeks now. With fall & winter on the horizon and outside action cooling down what’s one tip we’ve seen be everlasting as athletes? Keep tabs on yourself!

Seriously…remember that old rule of “don’t do too much too fast”?? Yes, it applies to cooler weather and any outdoor action without a doubt. Many of us are excited for cooler training and to not overheat. Cool fall and winter days can mean great training and racing experiences and action packed workout sessions if they can happen outside.

Why would you want to hold yourself back though? Why not go “all in” and tackle each day with your workouts and intensity? Too much too quick as an athlete can have detrimental long term affects. Burnout – fatigue – injury – over stimulation – the list goes on.

High quality vs high quantity should be your goal. As the weather continues to get cooler and cooler, remind yourself to increase the training sessions (in both time and intensity) in small increments, if that’s what your plans call for this time of year. This allows your body time to adjust and acclimate to more training time. It helps you adjust often injury free and doesn’t come on like a rush of adrenaline that burns you out because it quickly got too overwhelming.

Warming up is absolutely important. Give your muscles and joints a chance to get blood flowing. Allow “fluidity” to kick in as you reach ‘operating temperature’. Wear layers that can be removed as needed. Remember hats and gloves so your extremities don’t frost over!

Keeping yourself in check and throttling back a bit as the cool weather rolls in is a sure fire way to help you stay injury free and energized for the whole winter season ahead.

 

What are your go to tips for training in cooler weather? How do you keep motivated and warm?