This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bucknell chapter.
If you haven’t noticed, as the weeks fly by it’s been getting a lot chillier outside as autumn takes a hold of Lewisburg. Running in the early morning can be significantly colder than later on in the day and it’s important that you dress efficiently for your own comfort. As a rule of thumb, most runners will dress as if it is 15-20 degrees warmer than it really is outside. You should always feel a little cold when starting out, but don’t worry – within five minutes your body should warm up and you’ll forget all about how chilly you were beforehand.
Here are some other tips for dressing in the cold:
- Make sure to take note if it’s windy or not outside. A light jacket can help break the wind if it’s particularly gusty outside and will cut back on the chill.
- Remember that most heat escapes through your head and hands, so if it’s really cold outside don’t forget to wear gloves and a headband/hat. You can always take them off if they become uncomfortably warm.
- Dress in layers as it gets colder! A long sleeve shirt can easily be tied around your waist, but a sweatshirt can’t be put on half way through your run.
- Think about purchasing running tights. They are less bulky than sweatpants and keep your muscles warm through insolation.
Week 3
Beginner:
- Try to run 5 times this week. Four of your runs should be around 3 miles. Your fifth run should be somewhere around 4-5 miles. If you need to slow down to make the distance, that is fine.
- On a day that you don’t run, try to get on the elliptical, bike, or stair master, or in the pool, for around twenty minutes.
- Try to include one or two of the yoga class in the KLARC fitness center, or a video in your room if you can’t make the classes. Yoga classes are offered on Monday from 6-7 pm, Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6 pm, and Friday from 10:30-11:30 am.
- Make sure to take one day of complete rest!
Intermediate:
- Try to run 5 times this week. Four of your runs should be around 4 miles long. Your fifth run should be around 6 miles.
- On a day that you don’t run, try to get in some cross training on the elliptical, bike, or stair master, or in the pool for 30 minutes.
- Two times this week, try to hit the gym for some weight training. Use free weights to do lunges, squats, and calf raises for your lower body, and bicep curls, triceps extensions, and side arm raises for your upper body. It doesn’t hurt to add a few abdominal exercises to the end of your workout!
- Make sure to have a day to let your body rest completely!
Advanced:
- Try to run 5 times this week. For two of your training days, try to hit 4-5 miles. One of your days should be a long run around 7 miles. One of your runs will be a fartlek workout. (Fartlek is a sweedish term for speedplay. In a running context, you will play with different paces to run.) Run for 15 minutes to warm up. We suggest you do 1 minute hard, followed by 1 minute easy. Do 3 minutes hard, followed by 2 minutes easy. Do five minutes hard, followed by 3 minutes easy. Complete the workout by repeating the 3 and 1 minute hard sections again. Finish the workout with a 10-15 minute cool down. The hard sections should be done at a faster pace, but one you can maintain for the time allotted. Check out this online pace calculator for pace suggestions (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml). Whatever day you chose to do your workout, do a recovery run the following day!
- On a day that you don’t run, try to hit some form of cross training for at least thirty minutes. This would also be a good day to try and hit up one of the fitness classes in the KLARC center (http://www.bucknell.edu/x1792.xml).
- For a strength workout, try to lift upper body weights one day this week and lower body weights on a different day. Try to include the medicine balls into your workout. Hold them around chest level while you do squats or lunges, and use them when you do your abdominal exercises!
- Enjoy a day to let your body rest!