Fall is a Great Time to be a Runner

I don’t have any children of my own, but my neighborhood is home to an elementary school and so I feel in sync with the school kids’ schedule. Just this week, the weather changed. The humidity has gone south for the winter, and a few leaves have decided to fall from their lofty summer homes. Yellow school buses are rumbling down my street early in the morning. Yesterday I flipped the calendar ahead a month to September. Reluctantly, I must face it… the change in seasons is upon us and fall is here.

While I do lament the end of warm nights and summer activities, unlike school children who dread the end of summer fun and the start of waking up early and homework, runners have many reasons to be excited when they feel the first nip in the air. Fall is a fantastic time to be a runner, for many reasons:

1. Fall races are better than summer races. Some of the best races around the country happen in the fall… One of my favorites is the New York City Marathon in early November. If you’ve never watched the NYC Marathon, you’ve missed one of the most spectacular running events in the world (in my opinion, at least!) The entire City rallies for this event, with orange and blue paraphernalia on seemingly every street corner. The excitement surrounding the NYC Marathon is completely contagious, and it would be hard to leave there not vowing to run it yourself next year. And, of course, don’t forget ZOOMA Atlanta on November 16 – the newest fall tradition in the southeast!

2. Running in the fall is more pleasant than running in the summer. It really doesn’t really matter where you live. Running when the air is crisp and clear in the fall beats the heat of the summer.

3. Turkey Trots and Gobble Jogs. Nearly every local running club puts on a Thanksgiving Day race. These races offer a great opportunity to bring the whole family out and be active before gorging on turkey and pie later in the day. Inspire your aunts and children and start a new family tradition this year!

4. New season = New gear. The change in seasons also just happens to be a great excuse to stock up on new cold weather running gear. Particularly in the colder months, it is essential to have proper gear. Having run at different times in my life in bulky sweats and sleek running tights, I can tell you that proper gear makes a huge difference to your ability to run comfortably in sub-optimal temps.

Fortunately for us, runners can easily graduate from the school age dread of the end of summer. Don't be sad... Fall is a great time to be a runner!