Well hello there Mr. Sun! It is so fabulous to see you! Do I dare say it is starting to feel a little like Spring?
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy winter: beautiful blankets of white snow, lazy days curled up by the fire, and the excitement of an unplanned ‘snow day’. I am just done with winter for this year. Another day of minus-freaking-cold was about to put me over the edge.
I am not sure what the official temperature high was out here in Chestermere today but at one point my vehicle read 17 degrees. That was enough encouragement to grab my outdoor runners, throw on an extra layer and take my next scheduled client outdoors for a little training fun out in the sun. Between puddle jumping and navigating over icy snow drifts it wasn’t long before we were shedding the extra layers and working up a good sweat in our first outdoor workout for 2014.
I know, I know, it is only March. It is very likely we will get another hit from old man winter before we can call it Spring but I am itching to pack away my boots in exchange for my hiking shoes and pull my bicycle out of storage in the basement.
Do you take advantage of the warmer weather and move your workouts outdoors? I do! There is always a great workout for both the body and the mind in the fresh air with sun shining down.
Walking is a great way to get some fresh air and natural Vitamin D after being cooped up all winter. It can also be great exercise and it is easy to do. Pick up your pace and look for a couple of hills in your neighborhood to get your heart rate elevated.
Hiking offers all the same perks as walking: nice views, fresh air, and the sounds and smells of nature. Hiking is great for cardio training, muscle strength, and improves balance.
I am and always have been a huge fan of cycling. Whether its an easy ride around town with my boys biking alongside me, towing the boys in the bike trailer and going for a longer ride into the city and back, or hitting the trails in Kananaskis or Banff it is always an adventure on our bikes. Adventure, calories burned, and a muscle-building leg workout who could ask for anything more?
The playground is also a great place to enjoy a workout in the warmer weather. So what if it has been years since you were on the monkey bars or climbed to the top of the play structure. Act like a kid again and have some fun.
With all of this warm weather, I am eagerly waiting for the lake to be filled which we are all so fortunate to have in our backyards. The options for exercise on the water are endless with kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, or even waterskiing and wakeboarding.
In a nut shell, get outside and bring nature into your workouts! Enjoy the warmer weather and hope it is here to stay.
