TIPS TO PREPARE FOR WINTER RUNNING

This post is sponsored by Mizuno RunningMizuno Running on behalf of FitFluential. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for your support of this blog.

With all of the yoga teacher training, yoga has obviously taken a front seat in my fitness right now. With that said, any time I get the opportunity to break out my sneakers and go for a run, I’ve been trying to. I will be running my first half marathon in a few years come April, so it’s also important I stay consistent in running now to make the transition easier come training time.

Since my workouts generally take place before the sun comes up, I’m often training on the treadmill but it’s always nice when I can get outside for a run on the weekends. We all know winter is coming and once it arrives, I would love to keep up at least one outdoor run a week, if I can. It’s been a few years since I’ve run outside during the winter so I thought it would be a good idea to refresh my memory (and yours) to ensure our winter running is safe and productive.

1. Wear layers

I am someone who gets warm very quickly when they workout, but especially when running. When the boy and I ran our race together a couple months back, I debated how many layers to wear. It was cold that morning to stand around and wait for start, but I knew as soon as we got started, I would be fine. And I was.

With that said, winter running can get really cold, really quickly. I love Runner’s World’s suggestions for layering up depending on the temperature. You can check that out here. I think it’s also important to mention bright colors. Winter months are dark and often dreary and you want to stand out, so grab some bright tops or a reflective running vest so everyone can see you.

2. Get in a warm-up before you go outside

The cold won’t feel nearly as freezing if you take a few minutes to warm up first. Since I’m deep in yoga teacher training, this is a great excuse for me to practice a few sun salutations but you could also jump rope, run up and down the stairs, or do a few jumping jacks.

3. Bring your cell phone + form of identification

This is generally a good idea, regardless of the season you’re running, but it’s always worth mentioning. I use my phone to track my runs, but it’s also important to have on hand in case anything happens, like you get injured or lost. It’s also important to have some kind of identification. Something like this is perfect.

4. Think about replacing your shoes

I’m sure there’s plenty of debate around the internet as to how often you should change your running shoes but for me, I change mine about once a year. My mileage isn’t anything crazy and as long as they still feel good on my feet and are in good shape, then it’s usually about once a year that I feel like it’s time to swap them out. it’s also nice when that happens to come around Christmas. But Santa came a bit early for me this year, when Mizuno sent over their Wave Rider 21Wave Rider 21 shoe. I’ve been a Mizuno fan for years so needless to say I was excited to head out in these babies as soon as they showed up on my doorstep.

The first time I ran in this shoe, I was smitten. The cushioned midsole was a dream and I absolutely loved how despite the MIzuno Wave Rider 21 being a neutral shoe, I felt extremely supported in my run. Running outside (as well as on the treadmill) felt great! Note: you don’t have to be a marathoner, half marathoner, or 5k obsessed, these shoes are great for those beginning runners as well.

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Do you have any other winter running tips? Leave them in the comments!

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mizuno. The opinions and text are all mine.